Is the latest US Food Ban Missing the Truth? New Science Confirms Titanium Dioxide Safety

US: Recent updates in the United States highlight proposed measures and petitions aimed at regulating food products. California's Assembly Bill 418 (AB 418) has been put forward with the intention of forbidding the production, sales, or circulation of food items in California that contain five additives, including Titanium Dioxide (TiO₂). Additionally, a petition has been submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting a ban on E171 in food. The TiO₂ industry is gearing up to respond to the FDA Petition, which must be addressed by 3 July 2023.

The US FDA is responsible for regulating food and color additives in accordance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This means that any food or color additive, including Titanium Dioxide, must be reviewed, and approved by the FDA before being allowed on the market. To obtain approval, manufacturers must provide evidence to demonstrate that the substance is safe at its intended level of use. For color additives, a petition requesting approval of the intended use is submitted to the FDA, which evaluates the data and information provided. If the substance is deemed safe under the proposed conditions of use, the FDA issues a regulation authorizing its use. Even after approval, the FDA continues to monitor new information to ensure the ongoing safety of the substance under the law.

Recently, the US has acted based on the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) opinion from May 2021. The opinion stated that due to uncertainty about the effect of small nano particles, EFSA could not conclude that Titanium Dioxide (TiO₂) or E171 was safe. It's crucial to note that EFSA did not declare TiO₂ as unsafe. Nonetheless, US initiatives have been implemented considering EFSA's assessment.

Following the EFSA opinion, several studies have been conducted to confirm the safety of TiO₂, including a recent one that shows low bioavailability of TiO₂. Furthermore, a comprehensive study by the US National Cancer National Institute has also validated these findings by showing no adverse results.

Following the EFSA Opinion review, Health Canada conducted a thorough evaluation of TiO₂ as a food additive and found no significant health concerns. Health Canada subsequently released a report on the State of the Science of TiO₂ as a Food Additive. The US FDA, FSANZ, and interim findings of the FSA in the United Kingdom also conducted similar reviews and came to the same conclusions.

A new study conducted by the Japanese National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) has been reported, which addresses the concerns of the EFSA regarding small nano particles. The study found no observed effects.