Starch is converted to disaccharide (maltose) by the action of

Options

A. Sucrose
B. Diastase
C. Maltose
D. Amylase

Answer

To answer the question "Starch is converted to disaccharide (maltose) by the action of," we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Starch**:
- Starch is a polysaccharide, which means it is a long chain of glucose units. It is a complex carbohydrate that serves as an energy reserve in plants.

2. **Identifying the Disaccharide**:
- The question specifies that starch is converted to maltose, which is a disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules.

3. **Enzymatic Action**:
- The conversion of starch to maltose requires the action of specific enzymes. The primary enzymes involved in this process are amylases.

4. **Role of Salivary Amylase**:
- The digestion of starch begins in the mouth, where salivary amylase (also known as ptyalin) is secreted in saliva. This enzyme starts breaking down starch into maltose and other disaccharides.

5. **Further Digestion in the Small Intestine**:
- After the initial digestion in the mouth, starch continues to be broken down in the small intestine. Here, pancreatic amylase, which is secreted by the pancreas, further digests starch into maltose.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Both salivary amylase and pancreatic amylase are responsible for converting starch into maltose. Thus, the answer to the question is that starch is converted to disaccharide (maltose) by the action of amylase enzymes.

### Final Answer:
Starch is converted to disaccharide (maltose) by the action of amylase (specifically salivary amylase and pancreatic amylase).

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