Adulterant

For deterioration of the quality of the substance caused naturally as well as a result of environmental factors such as heat, humidity etc, see Contamination.
Not to be confused with Adultery.

An adulterant is a substance discreetly added to another that may compromise the safety or effectiveness. Consumable products, such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and fuels, are frequently adulterated to reduce the cost or difficulty of production without the knowledge of the buyer, allowing the product to be sold at the same price as a chemically pure equivalent. The adulteration of street drugs is known as lacing.

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