Question

At what pH would you expect amylase, the enzyme found in saliva, to work best?

Answer 1

Amylase in saliva work best at neutral pH or pH 7.  Many studies show that at this pH, the enzyme activity is the highest. When the enzyme reaches the stomach where it is an acidic environment amylase activity goes down or even stops. Then, as it enters the small intestine where the pH goes back to neutral level the amylase then resume to it's shape and works again.