Functions of Hydrochloric Acid in Gastric Juice

Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a component of gastric juice, produced by the parietal cells in the stomach. Its functions include:

Killing Harmful Microorganisms in Food

HCl creates an acidic environment in the stomach, which helps to kill harmful bacteria and other microorganisms that may be present in the ingested food. This acidic environment acts as a defense mechanism, protecting the body from potential foodborne pathogens.

Providing an Acidic pH for Optimum Enzyme Activity

HCl helps to maintain an acidic pH in the stomach, which is essential for the activation of the enzyme pepsin. Pepsin is a protease that is released in an inactive form (pepsinogen) by the chief cells in the stomach lining.

The low pH of the stomach (pH 1.5-3.5) triggers the conversion of pepsinogen into its active form, pepsin. Pepsin then plays a crucial role in breaking down proteins into smaller peptides.