Titanium dioxide: E171 banned as food additive
On March 2020, the European Commission asked to EFSA the revision of the safety assessment of the food additive titanium dioxide (TiO2 – E 171).
EFSA states that genotoxicity concerns after its consumption cannot be excluded after oral ingestion – even though the absorption of titanium dioxide particles is low – as it can be accumulated in the body. So, the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) cannot be established for E171.
All this means that EFSA’s experts no longer consider titanium dioxide safe when used as food additive.
What is going to happen?
EFSA’s role was limited to evaluating the health risks linked to TiO2 using as food additive, and its scientific advice will be used by risk managers (the European Commission, Member States) to inform any legislative or regulatory decisions they take on possible regulatory actions.
On 18th May 2021, the EU Commission’s expert group on food additives held a meeting – attended by all the representatives of the Member States – to discuss the future of TiO2, in which unanimity was achieved in the decision to ban the use of this food additive. The transition period for replacing TiO2 in food and food supplement formulations remains to be defined.
What can we do to support you?
Our team can check the presence of TiO2 in your food products and in food product from a non-EU country.
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