If you hold a salty cracker in your mouth long enough, it will begin to taste sweet. What is responsible for this change in taste?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the question. The question is asking why a salty cracker begins to taste sweet if it's held in the mouth for a long time.
2. Step 2: Recall the process of digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth where food is broken down into simpler forms. The enzyme responsible for this in the mouth is called amylase.
3. Step 3: Understand the role of amylase. Amylase breaks down complex carbohydrates (like those found in crackers) into simpler sugars. This process is called hydrolysis.
4. Step 4: Apply this knowledge to the question. As the cracker is held in the mouth, amylase continues to break down the carbohydrates into sugars. This is why the cracker begins to taste sweet after a while.
5. Step 5: Formulate the answer. The change in taste from salty to sweet when a cracker is held in the mouth for a long time is due to the action of the enzyme amylase, which breaks down the carbohydrates in the cracker into simpler sugars.