Chyme: Understanding Its Role in Digestion

Chyme is the semi-liquid mix of partially digested food, gastric juices, and mucus that leaves the stomach for the small intestine. Stomach muscles churn food with acid/enzymes; mucus protects the lining. In the small intestine, chyme mixes with pancreatic and bile enzymes for further breakdown; villi absorb nutrients. Transit takes 4–6 hours; remaining waste enters the large intestine.