Final answer:
After 10-12 hours, the stomach is typically empty as its contents, transformed into chyme, have been passed to the small intestine for further digestion and nutrient absorption. The stomach processes carbohydrates fastest, then proteins, and fats stay the longest due to slower digestion of fats by enzymes in the small intestine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The stomach serves as a temporary storage for ingested food, where the process of digestion begins. Typically, the contents of the stomach, which form into a semi-liquid substance called chyme, are completely emptied into the duodenum within 2 to 4 hours after eating. By 10-12 hours, the stomach is usually empty, as it would have sent all the content downstream into the small intestine for further digestion and nutrient absorption.
Different types of foods take varying amounts of time to process. Foods that are heavy in carbohydrates empty the fastest, followed by protein-rich foods. However, meals with a high triglyceride content, which are heavier in fats, remain in the stomach the longest, sometimes up to 6 hours or more, because the enzymes in the small intestine digest fats more slowly.
The digestion of food in total from ingestion to elimination takes about 24 to 72 hours, so after 10-12 hours, the food has moved well beyond the stomach and is undergoing further processing and nutrient extraction in the small and possibly the large intestine.