Starch Hydrolysis
Starch hydrolysis is when water and a helper substance break starch apart into smaller sugars.
Think of it this way
A long chain of sugar blocks is clipped together, like a row of small boxes locked end to end. Water seeps in and a helper — like a tiny wedge — pushes into each joint. One by one, the joints pop open and the chain breaks into short pieces. Each loose piece is now a small, simple sugar.
Explaining starch hydrolysis by grade level
Think about chewing a cracker for a long time. It starts to taste sweet. That happens because spit in your mouth breaks the cracker down. The starch in the cracker turns into sugar you can taste.