Answer – Proteins are broken down into individual amino acids in the small intestine.
Explanation:
The process of digestion of proteins occurs in numerous stages; however, protein is processed to form amino acid units in the small intestine. The stomach’s acidic environment along with the enzyme pepsin breaks down proteins into short chains of amino acids. Enzymes such as proteases further split the amino acid chains into smaller units as the partially digested food passes into the small intestine. In the small intestine, the remaining units are further digested and are reduced to individual amino acids, making the basic unit available for absorption. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, and carboxypeptidases aid the process and are secreted by the pancreas. Pancreatic secretions make their way into the small intestine through the duodenum. The peptide bonds between amino acids and peptide chains are broken down with hydrolysis reactions.
