in utero
Latin term meaning "in the womb."
Glossary : I
Inerts
The catch-all name for ingredients that are not considered active ingredients. Inert ingredients have no role in performing the actual marketed function of the product but are added as buffering agents, solvents, preservatives, dispersal agents and carriers, wetting agents, fillers, and other ingredients that help stabilize, dispense and increase the potency, effectiveness and ease-of-use of the product. Inerts are frequently more toxic than active ingredients.
insecticide
A substance that kills anthropods, such as hard shelled insects, spiders, millipedes and scorpions.
Integrated Pest Managment
A systemic approach to pest control which relies on prevention, identification and control by the least harmful means, such as biological controls, first before moving on to more toxic methods.
irradiation
For food items, exposure to ionizing radiation can kill harmful bacteria and disease-causing parasites. Surgical tools are irradiated to sterilize them. While not a common practice yet in the U.S., irradiation is currently approved for use on meat, poultry, wheat flour, white potatoes, herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables.
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