Silicon Dioxide (2023 Sunset Handling)

Sunset Survey

This survey is administered by the Organic Trade Association to assess the necessity/essentiality of substances used in organic production and processing that are undergoing NOSB Sunset Review. The information collected will be passed along to NOSB via the Organic Trade Association’s comments. Please do not include any confidential businesses information. For more information please visit OTA.com/NOSB.

This survey is for the substance SILICON DIOXIDE

Allowed for use as a defoamer. Allowed for other uses only if organic rice hulls are not commercially available in the appropriate quality, quantity and form. §205.605(b)

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* 1. Is your operation certified organic?

Yes

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* 2. Is silicon dioxide included in your organic system plan?

Yes

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* 3. Which types of organic products do you use silicon dioxide in/on? (e.g., yogurt, fruit juices, baked goods, etc.)

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* 4. What function does silicon dioxide provide in/on your organic products and why is it essential? (e.g., stabilizer, thickener, flavor, sanitizer, etc.)

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* 5. With what frequency does your operation use silicon dioxide? (e.g., seldom, as needed when a certain condition arises, routinely, etc.)

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* 6. How prevalent is the use of silicon dioxide as a defoamer?

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* 7. How prevalent is the use of silicon dioxide for other allowed purposes, e.g. anticaking agent, flow agent, flavor disbursement?

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* 8. NOSB collects information about the "ancillary substances" (e.g. carriers, preservatives, stabilizers) that may be used to formulate commercial forms of the substance. Please list any ancillary substances that are identified on the ingredient statement on the specification sheet that accompanies the substance you purchase.

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* 9. Have you tried using any other substances as an alternative to silicon dioxide? (e.g. other natural or organic substances)

Yes

If yes, please describe your search and sourcing efforts, which substances you’ve tried and whether the quantity available was sufficient and/or whether the alternative substance had the quality and form necessary to fulfill the required function of the organic product or process.

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* 10. Are there any other management practices that would eliminate the need for silicon dioxide?

Yes

If so, please describe the efficacy of the alternative management practices:

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* 11. Are there organic alternatives to silicon dioxide that are more suitable to the uses described below for which past stakeholder feedback indicated that organic rice hulls were not viable alternatives for use:

As an anticaking agent in organic powders, including organic cheese powders

In organic dry flavors in which rice hulls have not adequately or evenly disbursed flavor actives and have taken up moisture

As an anticaking agent at a recommended 2% application rate, when instead the rice hull rate has been 15-50%

As a flow agent for rice syrup solids

As a clarifier in the production of beer

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* 12. Is there reliable, consistent commercial availability of rice hulls for the applications in which it performs well?

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* 13. How would your organic handling be impacted if silicon dioxide was no longer allowed? (describe the effects on product quality, economic effects, environment effects, or human health effects)

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* 14. On a scale from 1 to 5 stars, rate the overall necessity of silicon dioxide for your organic operation:

Unnecessary (don’t need it at all)

Neutral (nice to have but could live without it)

Critical (would leave organic without it)

Unnecessary (don’t need it at all)

Neutral (nice to have but could live without it)

Critical (would leave organic without it)

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* 15. You are strongly encouraged to submit your own comments by Sept 30th directly to the NOSB via Regulations.gov.

If you would like assistance or guidance in submitting comments to NOSB, please contact Gwendolyn Wyard at gwyard@ota.com or provide your contact information below and OTA will contact you directly.

Name

Company

Email Address

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