EFSA published its safety assessment of titanium dioxide (E171) as food additive on Thursday 6 May 2021.
The EFSA’s expert Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings (FAF) concluded that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive. A critical element in reaching this conclusion is that EFSA could not exclude genotoxicity concerns after the consumption of titanium dioxide particles. This means that an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) cannot be established for titanium dioxide. The EFSA’s evaluation is related to the risks of titanium dioxide used as a food additive, not to other uses.
Titanium dioxide has been already suspended in France since the 1st of January 2020 after the negative opinion published in 2019 by ANSES. France has recently extended the suspension to 1 more year until 1st January 2022.
In September 2020, the European Parliament adopted a motion for a resolution calling n the Commission to apply the precautionary principle and to remove titanium dioxide (E 171) from the Union list of permitted food additives.
On the basis of EFSA’s opinion the European Commission will suggest a regulatory action and submit it to the Member States for discussion.
Most likely the EC will follow this opinion and ban titanium dioxide as an additive in food soon.
Link: Titanium dioxide: E171 no longer considered safe when used as a food additive
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