Experts are raising concerns about titanium dioxide, a commonly used pigment that makes our food prettier. And while the Food and Drug Administration says it's safe, the European Union and environmental advocates say it could be carcinogenic.
What is titanium dioxide, and why is it added to food?
Titanium dioxide is a pigment used to make food and drugs whiter, brighter, or more opaque. According to WebMD, it is also used as a thickener and to keep some powdered food, such as confectioners' sugar, from clumping. The site says you can find titanium dioxide in a range of products, including ‌milk, coffee creamer, salad dressing, candy, chocolate, chewing gum, snacks, sauces, and vitamin supplements.
"It is just there to make food look a certain way so that consumers want to buy it," Thomas Galligan, principal scientist for food additives and supplements at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told The Cool Down. "So it's not necessary for consumer health or safety. In fact, it's potentially unsafe."
Is titanium dioxide safe?
It depends on who you ask, but Galligan recommends that people avoid titanium dioxide across the board. He explained that a 2021 assessment by the European Food Safety Authority found evidence that nanoparticles in titanium dioxide can accumulate in our bodies and damage our DNA — this ability for a chemical or substance to damage our DNA is known as genotoxicity.
The research led the European Union to ban titanium dioxide in 2022.
"The damaging of DNA is one way that a chemical can cause cancer among other health problems," Galligan said. "And so basically the European Food Safety Authority said, 'If we can't conclude decisively that titanium dioxide does not cause genotoxicity, it cannot be considered safe.'"
He added: "It hasn't been directly shown to cause cancer. But again, the potential for genotoxicity raises cancer concerns."
Why hasn't the FDA banned titanium dioxide?
Titanium dioxide was first approved for use in food in the United States in 1966, and the FDA last reviewed its safety for use in food in 1973, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
"But the FDA approval was based on the belief that titanium dioxide does not accumulate in the body," the organization states. "The most recent science shows that titanium dioxide nanoparticles can build up in the body."
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However, the FDA contends that the "total daily intake of the substance does not represent a hazard to health," citing a 2023 report from the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations-World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives.
In April 2023, the Environmental Defense Fund, Center for Environmental Health, Center for Food Safety, Center for Science in the Public Interest, and Environmental Working Group petitioned the FDA to ban titanium dioxide.
The request is still under review, according to the agency, which states, "The FDA allows for the safe use of TiO2 as a color additive in foods according to the specifications and conditions, including that the quantity of titanium does not exceed 1% by weight of the food, as stated in FDA regulations."
What should consumers do about titanium dioxide?
According to Galligan, it's difficult for consumers to avoid titanium dioxide, as companies may list it generically as "color added" or "artificial color."
"Consumers should be avoiding it and they could do so by reading the ingredient list," he said. "It can be listed by name, but like I said, it doesn't have to be listed by name. So, it's challenging for consumers to fully avoid titanium dioxide."
The Environmental Working Group says that choosing organic foods can help, as these products have to adhere to more stringent standards.
"Certified organic foods cannot contain artificial colors such as titanium dioxide," the organization states.
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