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In the stomach, the chyme is mixed with a strongly acidic secretion of the gastric mucosa containing hydrochloric acid, mucins, inorganic salts and the precursor of enzymes, so-called proenzymes (zymogens). The most important digestive enzymes of the stomach are the pepsins (a group of enymes with some what varying specifications), which belong to aspartate proteinase.

They undergo autocatalytic activation at low pH. The stomach also secretes a glycoprotein referred to as “intrinsic factor”, which binds vitamin B12 (extrinsic factor) and thus protects it from degradation. The intense enzymatic digestion that begins in the stomach takes 1 to 3 hours, and is mainly directed against dietery proteins. The asidic contents of the stomach are subsequently released, batch wise into the duedonum, where they are mixed with (thus neutralized by) alkaline secretion of the pancreas, in addition, cystic bile is added at this point.