The two organs that help to break food down mechanically are the mouth and the stomach.
In the mouth, the process of mechanical digestion begins when we chew our food. Our teeth grind and break down the food into smaller pieces, making it easier for enzymes in our saliva to start the chemical digestion process. This chewing action is crucial as it increases the surface area of the food, allowing for better digestion later on.
Once the food is swallowed, it travels down the esophagus to the stomach. In the stomach, mechanical digestion continues as the food is mixed with gastric juices. The strong muscular contractions of the stomach wall, known as peristalsis, churn the food, further breaking it down into a semi-liquid substance called chyme. This process is essential for preparing the food for further chemical digestion and absorption in the intestines.