Sastojak

Sastojak is a noun used in Croatian, Bosnian and Serbian to denote a single component of a mixture or product. It is commonly employed in cooking to describe an ingredient required to prepare a dish, and it is also used in fields such as pharmacology, cosmetics and chemistry. The plural form is sastojci.

Etymology and meaning: The word derives from the verb sastaviti, meaning to assemble or put together, with the related noun sastav meaning composition. Thus a sastojak is a part that contributes to the whole.

Usage: In cooking, recipes list sastojci, for example water, flour, and sugar. In nutrition labeling, packaging must declare all sastojci. In medicines, active ingredients are referred to as aktivni sastojak, while other substances may be listed as sastojci. In cosmetics and household products, ingredient lists identify the sastojci to inform consumers and ensure safety and regulatory compliance. In chemistry, the term may describe a constituent of a chemical mixture or compound.

Distinctions: Sastojak denotes a single component, whereas sastav refers to the overall composition or makeup of a substance or mixture. The related verb sastaviti means to assemble, and an item described as sastavljen has been assembled.

See also: Sastav, aktivni sastojak, sastavni dio.