Where does the initial breakdown of food occur?

The initial breakdown of food occurs in the mouth, where mechanical and chemical processes begin the digestive process. Chewing (mastication) helps to physically break down food into smaller pieces, allowing it to be easily swallowed and increasing the surface area for enzymes to act upon. Salivary glands secrete saliva, which contains the enzyme amylase—this enzyme begins the digestion of carbohydrates by breaking down starches into simpler sugars.

Although other parts of the digestive system play significant roles, such as the stomach where further breakdown happens through acidic environments and enzymes, and the small intestine where nutrient absorption occurs, it is specifically in the mouth that the very first stages of digestion—both mechanical and chemical—take place. The pharynx functions primarily as a passageway for food and does not significantly contribute to the breakdown process.