Final answer:
Ingredients are the foods or substances used in a recipe, and in chemistry, they're known as reactants which transform into products. This applies to both home cooking and professional recipes, with food additives being strictly regulated for safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you ask what do we call foods or substances that we use in a recipe, the answer lies in understanding both cooking and chemistry. In the culinary world, these are referred to as ingredients. However, when viewed through the lens of chemistry, we can also call these substances reactants at the start of a cooking process, which through a 'reaction' - in this case, mixing and heating - transform into the products, such as a delicious batch of cookies from our cookie ingredients. The types of food ingredients can range widely, with some examples being sweeteners like sugar, leavening agents like baking soda, flavoring agents like vanilla, preservatives and natural colors, and various spices.
Each ingredient plays a specific role in the preparation of food, for instance, enhancing flavor, preserving freshness, or providing necessary chemical reactions to achieve the desired texture and flavor. It is important to recognize that all food additives are rigorously evaluated to ensure safety for consumption. This list is maintained by federal agencies, like the FDA, which keeps a comprehensive record of over 3,000 ingredients used in American foods, many of which are also staples in home cooking.