Titanium dioxide

Titanium dioxide (E171) is a food additive that has been used for several decades as a white colorant and opacifying agent in many processed products, confectionery, chewing gums, and dietary supplements in capsule form. Its ability to produce intense whiteness and mask visual imperfections made it a widely used technological ingredient in the food industry. This additive can exist in nanoparticle form, a fraction of which may be absorbed by the body. Studies have highlighted potential genotoxic effects, leading the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to classify it as a possible human carcinogen (Group 2B). In response to this evidence, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in 2021 that it could no longer be considered safe as a food additive. In France, the ban on titanium dioxide in food products came into force on 1 January 2020, ahead of the European decision. It should therefore no longer appear in the composition of food supplements sold on the French and European markets.