Other items

Food

Consumption area(s): Earth

Introducion

Within the food system, there exists a group of foods that do not neatly fall into the primary categories of algal-based, plant source, animal source, multicellular fungal source, or composite foods. These are diverse substances and ingredients that, while commonly used in food preparation and processing, do not align clearly with the standard classification groups.

Included in this set are natural inorganic substances such as salt, baking soda, water and various chemical leavening agents, which play essential functional roles despite lacking an organic origin. Though they do not come from living organisms, they are widely used in both culinary and industrial food applications and are integral to many everyday foods.

Also part of this group are microorganisms, such as yeasts and certain fermentative bacteria, which are crucial in fermentation and leavening processes. These organisms are not classified under the plant, animal, or multicellular fungal kingdoms, but instead form a distinct biological domain. They are fundamental to the production of items like bread, yogurt, cheese, and fermented drinks.

This broader category also includes highly processed products, such as artificial beverages, sugary soft drinks, energy drinks, and other industrial formulations. Although many of these may contain ingredients of natural origin, their extensive processing and the use of additives, colorants, flavorings, and synthetic sweeteners make them difficult to classify solely by biological source.

Often grouped under the label “Other items”, these items encompass a wide range of functional components and technical substances that, while not belonging to the main biological categories, are indispensable to the structure, safety, and sensory qualities of contemporary food systems.

Classification of other items

This category includes a variety of products, such as:

• Artificial beverages
• Baking soda
• Leavening agents
• Salt
• Water