OptionalidOptional database ID (undefined for new ingredients)
Ingredient name
Unit of measurement (cups, grams, pieces, etc.)
OptionalquantityQuantity as string to support fractional and textual amounts
Categorization type for organization and shopping
Array of month numbers when ingredient is in season
OptionalnoteUsage context or preparation note for this ingredient occurrence Allows distinguishing duplicate ingredients used in different steps
Ingredient data structure with complete metadata Supports both database storage and recipe usage