The swallowed food goes down the pharynx. There the foods are being pushed by the muscles down to the throat.

In times the muscles push down the food, a structure called the epiglottis closes over the trachea. This process will prevent the swallowed food from entering the respiratory tract.

The food then passes and carried by a long tube called the esophagus going down to the stomach to be stored temporarily.

The walls of the esophagus have layers of cells that is called mucosa. The mucosa cells secrets mucus to lubricate the foods and allow the food to pass the esophagus smoothly.

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To allow the swallowing of foods, the upper half of the esophagus is consist of voluntary and striated muscles. The voluntary and striated muscles allows us to swallow foods more easily.

The other half of esophagus ( the lower part) is compose of smooth muscles. This smooth involuntary muscles brings peristalsis. Peristalsis is a rhythmic and wave-like muscular action. It pushes the  foods further the alimentary canal to the stomach.

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Image via Wikipedia

After digested from the mouth, the foods are swallowed, and  goes into the esophagus. The esophagus contributes into digestion processes by performing peristalsis which contracts and pushes foods before it goes to the stomach. Their the foods faces another stage of digestion.