Two digestive processes occur in the small intestine are:
1. Chemical digestion
Digestive enzymes from the pancreas and liver are secreted in the small intestine via the pancreatic duct. Also, bicarbonates are secreted from the pancreas into small intestine (duodenum) in order to neutralize acid coming from the stomach.
Molecules digested in small intestine are proteinsinto small peptides and amino acids (by trypsin, chymotrypsin, aminopeptidase and dipeptidase enzymes), lipids into fatty acids and glycerol (by pancreatic lipase and bile from the liver) and some carbohydrates into simple sugars (by pancreatic amylase enzyme).
2. Absorption
The food previously digested can pass into the blood vessels (be absorbed) through either diffusion or active transport.
