Leaving Certificate Digestion Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

Fats are broken down by lipases, with pancreatic lipase being the enzyme that specifically digests fats. Secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine, it hydrolyzes triglycerides into monoglycerides and free fatty acids. Emulsification by bile salts increases the surface area of fat droplets, allowing lipase to work more effectively, and colipase helps the enzyme bind to the fat–water interface. The resulting products are absorbed and reassembled into triglycerides for transport. In contrast, pancreatic amylase acts on carbohydrates like starch, pepsin digests proteins in the stomach, and proteases also target proteins, not fats.