Question

Explain the following term:
Chyme

Answer 1

Chyme:

1. The soft ball of semi-digested food (bolus) from mouth transfers to the stomach through oesophagus.
2. In stomach, gastric glands secrete gastric juice.
3. Gastric juice contains hydrochloric acid and two digestive enzymes: pepsin and renin.
4. Hydrochloric kills the harmful pathogen present in the incoming food and also maintains the acidic pH for the activity of enzymes.
5. Pepsin converts large protein molecules into simple protein molecules called proteoses and peptones.
6. Renin converts milk protein casein into insoluble curd (paracasein).
7. After all these processes, the food becomes a thick and pulp-like paste and this partially digested food in stomach is called chyme.