What role does the stomach play in digestion?
The stomach's first job is to accept and store the food that enters it. In response to the arrival of food, glands present in the lining of the stomach produce stomach acid (or gastric acid) - another digestive juice.
Muscles in the wall of the stomach help to move the food and acid around making sure that they mix thoroughly. Stomach acid helps to break down the food further into smaller, easier to digest fragments. The acid also kills bacteria contained in the swallowed food or saliva.
By the time food is ready to leave the stomach, it has been processed into a thick liquid. Finally, muscular movements in the lower part of the stomach push this partly-digested food down towards the small intestine.
Problems of the stomach
Some medical problems of the stomach include:
Peptic ulcers
Gastric cancer
