Ihmisravinnossa

Ihmisravinnossa is a Finnish term used to describe substances, ingredients, or products intended for human consumption. The word is formed from the elements ihminen (human) and ravinto (nutrition/food) with the locative suffix -ssa, roughly translating to “in human food” or “for human consumption.” In practice, the phrase functions to distinguish items meant for people from those intended for animals or industrial use.

In regulatory and scientific contexts, ihmisravinnossa appears in discussions about food safety, quality requirements, and labeling. It signals that an ingredient or product is evaluated under standards applicable to edible products for humans. For example, assessments of new additives, processing aids, or raw materials may reference whether they are suitable for ihmisravinnossa use, i.e., meet the criteria for human food. The term may also appear in consumer information to clarify that a substance is not intended for animal feed or other non-food applications.

Etymologically, the term is a straightforward compound: ihminen (human) plus ravinto (nutrition/food) with the suffix -ssa indicating location or context. While closely related concepts include ravintokelpoisuus (edibility) and elintarvikkeiden tarkoitus (intended use as food), ihmisravinnossa specifically emphasizes suitability for human consumption within Finnish-language discourse.