Titanium dioxide as a dye: where are we now?
Since 7 August, pursuant to EU regulation 2022/63, published on 14 January 2022, titanium dioxide is no longer usable in Europe as a food coloring.
The veto concerns new productions starting from August 7, while products on the market can be sold until the minimum shelf-life or expiry date. The decision originates from the opinion published in May 2021 by EFSA experts who did not rule out genotoxicity problems linked to the use of the aforementioned food additive. Titanium dioxide (E171) is commonly used to give white color to many foods: baked goods, spreads, soups, sauces, salad dressings and nutritional supplements.
Bans in different countries
For France , the ban on placing foods containing titanium dioxide (E171) on the market was already applicable from 1 January 2020. Switzerland , following the publication of the aforementioned European regulation, also banned the use of titanium dioxide as food additive, by means of an amendment, which entered into force on 15 March 2022 with a transitional period of six months, of the Food Additives Ordinance. The ban on the use of titanium dioxide has also been triggered in Yemen since last September, while in Saudi Arabia since last October. In Israelthe ban itself will begin next June. It should also be noted that a bill that aims to ban the use of titanium dioxide in the manufacture of food is pending in the Brazilian Câmara dos Deputados.
Since the use of this additive was banned in the European Union, there have been some calls for the presence of E171 mainly in confectionery decorations, food supplements and sauces in France, Spain, Croatia (as can be seen from the study of the data produced with Safety HUDs ).
Alternatives to titanium dioxide
Currently, alternatives to the typical white color of titanium dioxide are being studied. For example, we note a spin-off of the University of Cambridge (United Kingdom) which proposes solutions thanks to the application of biomimicry principles, which aims to replicate specific natural conditions such as those offered by the physical structure of the dazzling white exoskeleton of the Asiatic Cyphochilus beetle . This beetle, in fact, has an exoskeleton organized in small elliptical scales, made up of a porous structure, which allows the light to be reflected in a very particular way, returning a white colour.
To date, researchers have replicated the structure of the exoskeleton fibers focusing on cellulose, a material that can be obtained from food industry waste. To follow the regulatory developments concerning titanium dioxide, you can stay updated thanks to the online Regulatory Update service .
