Microbial enzymes can metabolize undigested food particles like complex carbohydrates and larger peptides.

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The statement to evaluate is: 'Microbial enzymes can metabolize undigested food particles like complex carbohydrates and larger peptides.'
Option 1 (True): Microbial communities in the human digestive tract, especially in the colon, possess a diverse set of enzymes capable of breaking down undigested dietary components. Complex carbohydrates that escape human digestion, such as dietary fibers and resistant starches, can be metabolized by gut bacteria, producing metabolites like short-chain fatty acids that play important roles in host physiology. Similarly, peptides and proteins that are not fully digested by human enzymes can be acted upon by microbial proteases, contributing to nitrogen recycling and energy harvest. This aligns with current knowledge of gut microbiota metabolism.
Option 2 (False): This option would claim that microbes cannot metabolize undigested food particles, denying a well-established role of microbiota in fermentation and proteolysis. The misconception here is assuming human digestion handles all nutrients completely, whereas a substantial portion of certain carbohydrates and peptides remains intact until reaching the large intestine, where microbial enzymes act on them.
In sum, the true understanding is that microbial enzymes do metabolize undigested food components like complex carbohydrates and larger peptides in parts of the digestive tract, particularly the colon, through fermentation and proteolysis. The false option rests on the incorrect belief that microbes do not contribute to the breakdown of undigested nutrients.

2025SP-FSHN-150-001 Week 15 Quiz

Microbial enzymes can metabolize undigested food particles like complex carbohydrates and larger peptides.

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