Digesting Fat: Emulsification

As fat droplets exit the stomach and enter the duodenum, bile acids are added to the mix.

Bile acids are produced from cholesterol in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. They have a detergent property and emulsify the fat droplets, breaking them up into many smaller droplets.

The increased surface area of the droplets aids in the subsequent digestive process.

A liver and gallbladder with an arrow labeled Bile acids pointing toward a fat droplet with an arrow labeled emulsification pointing to a cluster of smaller droplets.
Bile acids produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder emulsify fat in the duodenum.