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Gastric juice maintains a low pH to sterilise food and digest proteins. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

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Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

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Stomach acid is strong enough to dissolve soft metals

Gastric juice maintains a low pH to sterilise food and digest proteins

Stomach lining cells produce gastric juice containing hydrochloric acid, giving the stomach a highly acidic pH between 1.5 and 3.5. This potent environment breaks down complex food proteins and kills ingested bacteria, and is acidic enough to dissolve soft metals like zinc.

Where this comes from

Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Thick alkaline mucus shields the stomach from self-digestionBicarbonate-rich barriers neutralise gastric acid at the mucosal surface The stomach regenerates its mucous lining every few daysEpithelial cell renewal prevents stomach acid from digesting stomach walls Acetobacter species turn ethanol into pungent vinegarTwo-stage fermentation converts sugar first into alcohol and then into acetic acid The small intestine measures roughly six metres in lengthExtensive surface area absorbs most dietary nutrients into the blood The large intestine absorbs water and houses trillions of microbesColon microflora break down indigestible fibres and synthesise vitamins Food travels down the oesophagus using muscular wavesPeristaltic contractions push food to the stomach even when upside down

Tags: stomach, acid, digestion

Stomach acid is strong enough to dissolve soft metals: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Gastric juice maintains a low pH to sterilise food and digest proteins. The figure is taken from Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a human body fact?: Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.