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In order to gauge a compound's humectancy, scientists will put it through a series of tests, often involving water absorption tests. In tests involving toothpaste, the process is also coupled with a sweetness test and crystallization test. When humectancy is being assessed in different products, scientists will compare the results to other humectants that are already used in those products, in order to evaluate efficiency.

An example of where humectants are used to keep food moist is in products like toothpaste as well as certain kinds of cookies. Regional kinds of cookies often use Humectants as a binding agent in order to keep moisture locked into the center of the cookie rather than have it evaporate out. Humectants are favored in food products because of their ability to keep consumable goods moist and increase shelf-life. Some common Humectants used in food are things like Honey and Glucose Syrup both for their water absorption and sweet flavor. Glucose Syrup also helps to retain the shape the product better than other alternatives, for a longer period of time. In addition, some Humectants are recognized in different countries as good food additives because of an the increase in nutritional value that they provide, such as Sodium Hexametapho.

Other compound examples of a Humectant are:
 * Alaptide
 * d-tagatose
 * Glycerol
 * Sorbitol

Hydrogels are also another common Humectant and they are often used in ointments, creams, and gel-based pills. Hydrogels have a very high water absorption rate which allows for better skin penetration when used in health products. Hydrogels are also very useful in gel-based pills for their digestible plastic-like coating, in addition to their ability to repair skin cells quickly, which makes them efficient to use for both people and animals. Hydrogels are also used more often in medicine because it is easier to remove than alternatives, when used in topical treatments. Hydrogels also had a higher penetration rate through the intestinal walls than other alternatives, allowing medicine to be more readily absorbed by the body.

In the treatment of animals, Humectants have been shown to accelerate the healing process of things such as bites, lacerations, and abrasions.

Humectants are often used as a replacement for more toxic substances.