Steapsin

Steapsin belongs to the class of digestive enzymes called lipases found in the pancreatic juice that catalyzes the hydrolysis of triglycerides (main constituent in vegetable oils and animal fat) to fatty acids and glycerol. When food travels through the oral cavity and down the esophagus into the stomach, enzymes such as pepsin are released where it cleaves large proteins into smaller peptide fragments so further digestion and absorption can occur in the duodenum, the tube that connects the stomach to the small intestine. Fats are minimally digested in the stomach by gastric lipases but most digestion occurs in the small intestine.