Which organ produces bile to aid digestion of fats?

• A. Gallbladder
• B. Liver
• C. Pancreas
• D. Stomach

Answer: (B)

Bile production occurs in the liver. Liver cells (hepatocytes) continuously synthesize bile and secrete it into bile ducts that drain into the common bile duct. From there, bile is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder, and it is released into the small intestine when fatty meals are present. The role of bile in fat digestion is to emulsify fats, breaking large fat globules into smaller droplets to increase the surface area for the digestive enzyme lipase to work effectively. The gallbladder’s job is storage and concentration, not production. The pancreas makes digestive enzymes and bicarbonate, not bile, and the stomach mainly processes acid and some protein digestion. So, the organ that produces bile is the liver.