Which of the following processes does NOT occur in the stomach?

The correct answer is that digestion of sugars does not occur in the stomach. The primary function of the stomach is to break down proteins and to initiate the digestion of fats, aided by gastric enzymes like pepsin for proteins and gastric lipase for fats. The acidic environment in the stomach, due to hydrochloric acid, contributes to these processes effectively.

Digestion of starch begins in the mouth with the enzyme salivary amylase, which continues to work until the starch reaches the stomach, where the acidic environment inactivates it. Thus, the stomach does not play a role in starch digestion.

In contrast, the digestion of sugars primarily occurs in the small intestine. The enzymes responsible for breaking down sugars, such as maltase, lactase, and sucrase, are secreted by the intestinal lining and function optimally in the alkaline environment of the small intestine, making the stomach ineffective for this process.