From the results, which pH is ideal for pancreatic lipase digestion?

From the results, which pH is ideal for pancreatic lipase digestion?

• A. pH 7.0
• B. pH 2.0
• C. pH 9.0
• D. pH 5.0

Answer: (A)

Pancreatic lipase is designed to work in the small intestine, where the pH is near neutral to mildly alkaline because bicarbonate from the pancreas raises the pH after the stomach. This environment lets the enzyme’s catalytic groups stay in the right ionization state and allows access to emulsified fats for efficient hydrolysis of triglycerides. That’s why a near-neutral pH around 7.0 yields the best digestion; at very acidic pH (like 2.0) the enzyme is less active or destabilized, at moderately acidic pH (5.0) the activity is not optimal, and at strongly alkaline pH (9.0) the enzyme can be less stable or less efficient than at neutral.

Pancreatic lipase is designed to work in the small intestine, where the pH is near neutral to mildly alkaline because bicarbonate from the pancreas raises the pH after the stomach. This environment lets the enzyme’s catalytic groups stay in the right ionization state and allows access to emulsified fats for efficient hydrolysis of triglycerides. That’s why a near-neutral pH around 7.0 yields the best digestion; at very acidic pH (like 2.0) the enzyme is less active or destabilized, at moderately acidic pH (5.0) the activity is not optimal, and at strongly alkaline pH (9.0) the enzyme can be less stable or less efficient than at neutral.