HUMAN NUTRITION

Detailed explanation-1: -Pepsin is a stomach enzyme that serves to digest proteins found in ingested food. Gastric chief cells secrete pepsin as an inactive zymogen called pepsinogen. Parietal cells within the stomach lining secrete hydrochloric acid that lowers the pH of the stomach. A low pH (1.5 to 2) activates pepsin.

Detailed explanation-2: -Pepsin benefits digestion by breaking down each protein (via enzyme activity) into a smaller peptide or amino acid. This allows the nutrients that the food proteins contain to be more readily absorbed and assimilated by the small intestine.

Detailed explanation-3: -Pepsin is a protease or protein-digesting enzyme. Pepsin cleaves proteins into smaller polypeptides. The ingredients of gastric juice are kept inactive until they are released into the cavity (Lumen) of the stomach. They are produced by cells in the gastric glands of the stomach.

Detailed explanation-4: -Pepsin is the chief milk protein-digesting enzyme in humans. Pepsin acts on soluble casein and converts it into soluble paracasein and whey protein. In the presence of calcium ions, soluble paracasein is precipitated into calcium paracaseinate (insoluble). It is called as “milk curdling.”