bile #biology
Cells in the liver produce bile which is then stored in the gallbladder
Bile has two main roles:
It is alkaline to neutralise the hydrochloric acid which comes from the stomach
The enzymes in the small intestine have a higher (more alkaline) optimum pH than those in the stomach
It breaks down large drops of fat into smaller ones. This is known as emulsification. The larger surface area allows lipase to chemically break down the lipid into glycerol and fatty acids faster