HUMAN NUTRITION

Detailed explanation-1: -Gastric juice is a unique combination of hydrochloric acid (HCl), lipase, and pepsin . Acidic gastric juice is found in all vertebrates, and its main function is to inactivate microorganisms.

Detailed explanation-2: -Hydrochloric acid helps your body break down, digest, and absorb nutrients like proteins and kills bacteria protecting the body from infections. Histamine stimulates parietal cells to secrete HCl. Hydrochloric acid kills harmful bacteria in the stomach.

Detailed explanation-3: -Your stomach lining also secretes hydrochloric acid, which creates the ideal conditions for the protein-digesting enzymes to work. The potent hydrochloric acid kills bacteria, protecting your body from harmful microbes which can enter your body in food.

Detailed explanation-4: -The hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice breaks down the food and the digestive enzymes split up the proteins. The acidic gastric juice also kills bacteria.

Detailed explanation-5: -Hydrochloric acid secreted from gastric parietal cells generates the strongly acidic environment of the gastric lumen (pH <2) (305), which kills food-derived bacteria, facilitates food digestion, and promotes absorption of minerals including phosphate, calcium, and iron.