E171 titanium dioxide

Titanium dioxide (TiO2), also known as E171 in our foods, is very commonly used as a white colorant in foods, but is also used in paints, coatings, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and even toothpaste. E171 is a mixture of TiO2 particles, which can be defined as nanoparticles. Because of their extremely small size, nanoparticles can squeeze past the body's natural protective barriers and enter the liver, lungs or entire digestive system.

Under EU law, food additives can be authorized if they do not pose a safety problem to consumers' health, if they are technically necessary and if they do not mislead consumers. However, the E171 has no technical purpose and is only used for aesthetic reasons.

The scientific uncertainty surrounding E171 prevents its complete risk assessment. France has expressed concerns about the toxicity of E171 and decided to ban products containing E171 from January 1, 2020. This precautionary principle should also apply throughout the EU and the substance should be removed from the EU’s list of permitted food additives.

In an open letter to the EU on May 3, 2019, more than 36 European and national NGOs supported France's ban on E171.
Despite repeated calls to extend French measures to the entire EU, experts from the European Commission and member states still believe that unified European legislation should be adopted; the decision to lift or extend the French ban will be based on the opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

EFSA's latest opinion highlights uncertainties and data gaps, calling on industry to provide more data; EFSA and some member states have been awaiting the results of specific studies on E171 to finalize their opinion. recently published and concluded that E171 does not cause adverse effects on human health.

We note that this study received financial support from three industry lobbying groups – the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), the Titanium Dioxide Manufacturers Association (TDMA) and the International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM) – all of which had an interest in the results. Significant business interests Their involvement in lobbying around the issue was recently highlighted in a report by Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO).
Action is urgently needed as France's ban on the E171 will be discussed at a European conference on Monday 16 September. Civil society groups in Europe raised concerns about industry involvement in the process leading up to this meeting and warned industry against lobbying to minimize the potential health threat posed by E171.