# Processing aid

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A **processing aid** is a substance used in the [production of processed food](/source/Food_processing), and which may end up in the finished product, but which is not, by law, required to be [disclosed to the consumer](/source/Food_labelling) as an ingredient.[1][2]

## Ethical concerns

NGOs, journalists, and food writers have raised concerns that the current laws on processing aids amount to a loophole that enables food producers to avoid transparency, and thereby to deceive consumers as to the contents of their food.[1][3][4][5][6][7]

## Jurisdictions

### United Kingdom

Under the [United Kingdom food labelling regulations](/source/United_Kingdom_food_labelling_regulations), a "processing aid" is defined as follows:[8]

"Processing aid" means any substances not consumed as a food by itself, intentionally used in the processing of raw materials, foods or their ingredients, to fulfil a certain technological purpose during treatment or processing, and which may result in the unintentional but technically unavoidable presence of residues of the substance or its derivatives in the final product, provided that these residues do not present any health risk and do not have any technological effect on the finished product.

### United States

Under the law of the United States of America, a substance is legally a "processing aid" and can be excluded from ingredients labels if it meets any of the following criteria:[9]

1. It is added to the food but later removed. E.g. [activated charcoal](/source/Activated_charcoal), which removes certain impurities.

2. It is added to the food, but gets converted into a substance already present in the food. E.g. a [pH](/source/PH) adjuster that converts to [salt](/source/Salt) and does not significantly add to the food's salt level.

3. It is added for a technical effect during processing but is not present at "significant" levels in the food. E.g. a preservative added to an ingredient, like anti-caking agent [sodium silicoaluminate](/source/Sodium_silicoaluminate) in the seasoning of some sausages.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-guardian-2015-02-21_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-guardian-2015-02-21_1-1) [Blythman, Joanna](/source/Joanna_Blythman) (21 February 2015). ["Inside the food industry: the surprising truth about what you eat"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160813231549/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/21/a-feast-of-engineering-whats-really-in-your-food). *The Guardian*. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_bot:_original_URL_status_unknown))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Processing Aids Used in Modern Food Production"](https://web.archive.org/web/20161019162034/http://www.foodinsight.org/Questions_and_Anwers_about_Processing_Aids_Used_in_Modern_Food_Production). International Food Information Council. 23 May 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.foodinsight.org/Questions_and_Anwers_about_Processing_Aids_Used_in_Modern_Food_Production) on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Bread Labelling Transparency"](https://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/bread_labelling/). *Sustainweb.org*. Retrieved 2016-10-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Processing aids"](https://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/processing_aids/). *Sustainweb.org*. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.jcs.2007.05.004](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jcs.2007.05.004). Retrieved 2016-10-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Andrew Whitley (2011-08-17). [*Bread Matters: The State of Modern Bread and a Definitive Guide to Baking ...*](https://books.google.com/books?id=s35WFE4hxmQC&q=%22processing+aid%22+food+%22loophole%22&pg=PT14) p. 14. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781449418915](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781449418915). Retrieved 2016-10-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Oliver Nieburg (2011-10-19). ["Federation of Bakers and Real Bread Campaign at odds over labelling of bread processing aids"](http://www.bakeryandsnacks.com/Regulation-Safety/Federation-of-Bakers-and-Real-Bread-Campaign-at-odds-over-labelling-of-bread-processing-aids). *Bakeryandsnacks.com*. Retrieved 2016-10-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Bee Wilson (2010-10-15). [*Sandwich: A Global History*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ydR5na_9fnYC&q=%22processing+aid%22+%22loophole%22&pg=PP55). p. 55. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781861898913](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781861898913). Retrieved 2016-10-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-reading-def_8-0)** Jukes, David. ["'Processing Aid' Definition"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070714204929/http://www.foodlaw.rdg.ac.uk/label/pro-def.htm). *Foodlaw-Reading*. University of Reading. Archived from [the original](http://www.foodlaw.rdg.ac.uk/label/pro-def.htm) on 2007-07-14. Retrieved 28 October 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-fsn-2013-06-10_9-0)** Andrews, James (10 June 2013). ["Processing Aids: What's Not on the Label, and Why?"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150215024023/http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/06/processing-aids-whats-not-on-the-label-and-why/). Food Safety News. Archived from [the original](http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/06/processing-aids-whats-not-on-the-label-and-why/) on 2015-02-15. Retrieved 28 October 2016.

v t e Food science General Allergy Engineering Food Human Nutritional rating systems Glycemic index Insulin index Satiety value Microbiology Nutrition Human Diet Clinical Processing Processing aids Psychology Quality Sensory analysis Discrimination testing Rheology Storage Technology v t e Food chemistry Additives Carbohydrates Coloring Enzymes Essential fatty acids Flavors Fortification Lipids "Minerals" (Chemical elements) Proteins Vitamins Water v t e Food preservation Biopreservation Burying in ground Canning Cold chain Curing Drying Fermentation Freeze-drying Freezing Hurdle technology Irradiation Jamming Jellying Jugging Modified atmosphere Pascalization Pickling Potting Confit Potjevleesch Rillettes Salting Smoking Sugaring Tyndallization Vacuum packing Food portal Category: Food preservation Food industry Manufacturing Packaging Marketing Food service Fortification v t e Consumer food safety Adulterants, food contaminants 3-MCPD Aldicarb Antibiotic use in livestock Cyanide 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coli outbreaks ICA meat repackaging controversy 2008 Canada listeriosis outbreak 2008 Chinese milk scandal 2008 Irish pork crisis 2008 United States salmonellosis outbreak 2011 Germany E. coli outbreak 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak Bihar school meal poisoning 2013 horse meat scandal 2015 Mozambique funeral beer poisoning 2017 Brazil Operation Weak Meat 2017–2018 South African listeriosis outbreak 2018 Australian strawberry contamination 2024 United Kingdom Shigatoxigenic E. coli outbreak Kobayashi red yeast rice scandal Food safety incidents in China Food safety incidents in Taiwan Foodborne illness outbreaks death toll United States Regulation, standards, watchdogs Acceptable daily intake E number Food labeling regulations Food libel laws Food safety in Australia International Food Safety Network ISO 22000 Nutrition facts label Organic certification Quality Assurance International United Kingdom food information regulations Institutions Centre for Food Safety (Hong Kong) 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