The Ingredient Library
Every entry answers what a reviewer answers: where an ingredient comes from, where it hides, and what happens to a label claim if it stays. Verdicts first, documents named, alternatives listed — dated and free to cite.
40 entries · last verified 2026-07-09 · maintained by the V-Cert Certification Team
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- Caramel colorCaramel color is a brown coloring made by controlled heating of carbohydrates such as glucose, sucrose or corn syrup.
- CarmineCarmine is a red colorant made from dried, crushed cochineal insects.
- CarrageenanCarrageenan is a gelling and thickening agent extracted from red seaweeds.
- CaseinCasein is the principal protein of milk, used in foods as caseinates and milk protein concentrates.
- Citric acidCitric acid is an acidulant produced industrially by fermenting sugar with the mold Aspergillus niger.
- CollagenCollagen is the structural protein of animal connective tissue, sold hydrolyzed as peptides in foods, supplements and cosmetics.
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- GelatinGelatin is a protein produced by partially hydrolyzing collagen from animal skin, bones and connective tissue.
- GlycerinGlycerin (glycerol) is a humectant and sweetener produced from vegetable oils, animal fats or petrochemical synthesis.
- Guar gumGuar gum is a thickener milled from the endosperm of the guar bean, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba.
- Gum arabicGum arabic is a soluble fiber and emulsifier harvested as dried sap from Acacia senegal and related trees.
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- High-fructose corn syrupHigh-fructose corn syrup is a liquid sweetener made by enzymatically converting corn starch into a glucose-and-fructose blend.
- HoneyHoney is the sugar-rich substance bees produce from nectar, used as a sweetener and humectant.
- Hyaluronic acidHyaluronic acid is a moisture-binding molecule used in skincare, injectables, joint supplements and eye products.
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- L-cysteineL-cysteine is an amino acid used mainly as a dough conditioner in commercial baked goods.
- Lactic acidLactic acid is an acidulant and preservative produced by fermenting carbohydrates with bacteria.
- LanolinLanolin is the wax secreted by wool-bearing sheep, recovered when shorn wool is washed.
- LecithinLecithin is a phospholipid emulsifier extracted mostly from soybeans and sunflower seeds, occasionally from egg yolk.
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- MaltodextrinMaltodextrin is a mildly sweet powder made by breaking down starch from corn, rice, potato, tapioca or wheat.
- Modified food starchModified food starch is starch from corn, potato, tapioca or wheat that has been physically or chemically altered to change its texture and stability.
- Mono- and diglyceridesMono- and diglycerides are emulsifiers made from glycerol and fatty acids of plant or animal origin.
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- ShellacShellac is a resin secreted by the lac insect, refined into food glazes and coatings.
- SqualaneSqualane is a skin-conditioning oil; it is the stable, hydrogenated form of squalene, which occurs in both shark liver and plant oils.
- Stearic acidStearic acid is a saturated fatty acid used as a lubricant, emulsifier and hardening agent; magnesium stearate is its magnesium salt.
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Compiled and verified by the V-Cert Certification Team; every entry carries its own last-verified date. Licensed CC BY 4.0 — reuse freely with attribution to v-cert.org.
Seeded with 20 entries in July 2026 — the library grows on a weekly cadence. One canonical page per ingredient; label synonyms and E-numbers are listed on each entry.
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