Ingredient

An ingredient is a substance used in the composition of a mixture, such as food, drink, cosmetic, or chemical formulations. In cooking, ingredients include core components that define a dish, flavor enhancers and seasonings, as well as optional garnishes and finishing touches. In other industries, ingredients encompass a range of materials used to create products, such as solvents, binders, preservatives, stabilizers, fragrances, or pigments. The term also covers temporary additives that are mixed in during production to achieve a desired property or effect.

In regulated contexts, ingredients are described in specification sheets and recipes, with quantities stated and often with the order of listing governed by the ingredient’s predominance by weight. Food labeling typically requires a list of ingredients and, in many jurisdictions, explicit disclosure of allergens or restricted substances. Measurement units can vary, including weight, volume, or counts, and some ingredients are listed as proximate categories (such as water, fats, carbohydrates). Substituting ingredients is common to accommodate dietary restrictions, availability, or cost, but can affect flavor, texture, aroma, color, and safety.

Etymology: The word ingredient derives from French ingrédient, from Latin ingrediens, "entering" (as in entering into a mixture).