Food moves along the digestive tract as result of contractions what?

Food moves along the digestive tract as a result of contractions called peristalsis. Peristalsis is a coordinated, rhythmic series of involuntary muscle contractions and relaxations that occur in the muscles of the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine). These contractions create waves of movement known as peristaltic waves that propel food, liquids, and other materials forward along the digestive tract. As the muscles contract, they narrow the lumen (inner cavity) of the tract and the material being moved is squeezed down in this narrower space, pushing it forward