Titanium Dioxide: updates

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THE CURRENT SITUATION
In May 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published an Opinion that titanium dioxide (TiO2) (E171) could “no longer be considered safe when used as a food additive” (2), and a ban on its use in foods was quickly proposed. On review, the conclusion of the EFSA Opinion is not based on any hazard being proven, rather it is due to insufficient data to rule out a potential risk from genotoxicity, despite the requested animal studies showing no adverse effects at high doses. In January 2022 legislation was published requiring the removal of E171 from foods; as no immediate health risk was identified a transition period of 6 months is permitted, ending in August 2022. As consumption of foods is unrestricted, intake levels of titanium dioxide by consumers cannot be accurately predicted, using the precautionary principle it is perhaps understandable that a ban on foods is applied. The Committee on Toxicology (COT) advising the Food Standards Agency in the UK does not agree with the EFSA conclusions based on the science (1) and Health Canada (3) and Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) (4) have recently published their reports which state that there is no conclusive scientific evidence that the food additive titanium dioxide is a concern for human health. The continued use of titanium dioxide is permitted in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.