BileSpec 2.30, 2.31
Bile is produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. It is released into the small intestine (the duodenum).
Bile has two roles in digestion:
- It is alkaline, so it neutralises the acid that comes from the stomach. This gives the enzymes in the small intestine the alkaline conditions they work best in.
- It emulsifies lipids: it breaks large drops of fat into many tiny droplets. This increases the surface area of the lipid.
The larger surface area lets lipase work faster, so the lipid is digested more quickly.
Common mistake:
Bile is not an enzyme and it does not chemically digest lipids. It only emulsifies them (physical breaking up) so that lipase can work faster. Emulsify is not the same as digest.