Given below are two statements. One is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).

Assertion (A): Mucus forms a physical barrier that contributes to innate immunity in the body.

Reason (R): Mucus protects the lining of the alimentary canal from the action of enzymes.

In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below.

The mucus forms a physical barrier of innate immunity, which is a nonspecific defence mechanism that provides the first line of defence against pathogens. The mucus also protects the lining of the alimentary canal from the action of enzymes by providing a lubricating layer that prevents direct contact between the enzymes and the epithelial cells, but this is not related to immunity. Therefore, the correct answer is 'Both (A) and (R) are correct but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)'.