Ingredient

{{Short description|Part of a mixture}}

{{about|ingredients in general|the documentary film|Ingredients (film){{!}}Ingredients (film)|other uses|The Main Ingredient (disambiguation)}}

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File:Galbi-tang ingredients.jpg]]

In a general sense, an ingredient is a substance which forms part of a mixture. In cooking, recipes specify which ingredients are used to prepare a dish, and the term may also refer to a specific food item in relation to its use in different recipes. Many commercial products contain secret ingredients purported to make them better than competing products. In the pharmaceutical industry, an active ingredient is the ingredient in a formulation which invokes biological activity.

File:Euroshopper canned marrowfat peas ingredient list.jpg. Besides peas, the product also contains water, salt, and the antioxidant E385.]]

National laws usually require prepared food products to display a list of ingredients and specifically require that certain additives be listed. Law typically requires that ingredients be listed according to their relative weight within the product.{{cite web|url=https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm2006828.htm|title=Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide|publisher=Food and Drug Administration|date=April 2008|access-date=17 June 2015}}

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