Safer Choice groups processing aids (a large set of chemicals that play supporting roles in product formulations) as a single class, with tailored criteria for each subclass. These chemicals, often considered commodity or generic ingredients, are diverse in structure and function, but have in common, beyond their formulary supporting roles, that their chemical characteristics and long-standing safe use make them a low hazard concern. For example, physical-chemical properties (like simple acids, when controlled for product pH) or essential functionality in humans (like polysaccharides) can indicate low hazard. Like colorants, polymers and related chemicals, processing aids are often data-poor. Yet, they are very common ingredients in cleaning and other products and frequently provide multiple functional attributes.

• Criteria for Processing Aids and Additives (PDF)(5 pp, 63 K)