ingredient

thumb|Ingredients for short rib soup

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.