What is chyme?

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Chyme is the semi-fluid mass formed in the stomach when partly digested food is mixed with gastric secretions like acid and enzymes. This blending happens as the stomach muscles churn and propel contents, turning solid meals into a liquid, acidic mixture that can pass into the small intestine. It isn’t a hormone, nor a digestive enzyme, nor mucus. Hormones regulate secretion and motility, enzymes are the catalysts that digest nutrients, and mucus is a protective secretion lining the stomach. Chyme’s role is to carry partially digested material into the duodenum for the next digestive steps.