TITANIUM DIOXIDE: EU BANS IT
As we indicated in our previous post, last October one of the European Commission’s proposals was approved: a ban on the use of titanium dioxide.
This Tuesday, January 18, this proposed ban is made official by the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union of Commission Regulation 2022/63 of January 14, 2022. It amends Annexes II and III of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the food additive titanium dioxide (E171).
This regulation shall be binding and directly applicable to each member state. The Commission will review, within three years and after consultation with the European Medicines Agency, the need to maintain this component (E 171) in the Union list of food additives for exclusive use as a colorant in medicinal products, or otherwise remove it from that list.
According to the text of the regulation, titanium dioxide (E 171) may be used as a food additive until August 7, 2022 and after that date it may remain on the market until its minimum durability or use-by date. From now on, it can continue to be used as a colorant in medicines.
Last spring, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) already published a scientific opinion updating its previous 2016 assessment on the safety of such a food additive. This research concluded that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive because genotoxicity problems can no longer be ruled out after consumption of its constituent particles.
Titanium dioxide and its genotoxicity
Titanium dioxide is a technological component. Composed of particles less than 100 nanometers in size, it is used as a food colorant, mainly in confectionery, bakery and sauces, and is also present in cosmetics, paints and medicines.
A key element in arriving at the ban on this additive was that genotoxicity could not be ruled out following the consumption of titanium dioxide particles. After ingestion, absorption of titanium dioxide particles is low, but they can accumulate in the body.” Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical to damage DNA, the genetic material of cells. Since genotoxicity may produce carcinogenic effects, it is essential to evaluate the possible genotoxic effect to determine its safety.