What is the name of food that has been chewed and mixed with saliva?

The term that describes food that has been chewed and mixed with saliva is "bolus." When food is chewed, it is broken down into smaller pieces, and the action of chewing, combined with the mixing of saliva, forms a soft mass that is easier to swallow. The saliva not only lubricates the food but also begins the process of digestion by containing enzymes that break down carbohydrates.

"Masticated food" refers generally to food that has been chewed but does not specifically emphasize the mixing with saliva that characterizes a bolus. "Chyme," on the other hand, is a term used for the semi-fluid mass of partially digested food that comes from the stomach entering the small intestine, which is different from the bolus that exists in the mouth. "Soupy" is a descriptive term that does not accurately reflect the physiological process occurring with food in the mouth after chewing and mixing with saliva. Thus, bolus is the precise medical term for this mixture, highlighting its role in the digestive process as it prepares for swallowing and subsequent digestion.