Titanium dioxide (E171) will be banned in Europe in food products. A decision hailed by the National Association of Consumers and Users (CLCV).
- The text will enter into force at the beginning of 2022.
- Manufacturers will have six months to completely remove the additive from their products.
This is a decision long awaited by consumer protection associations. Member States of the European Union have approved the Commission’s proposal to ban the use of titanium dioxide as a food additive in Europe.
“This is very good news for consumers. News which has been applauded in particular by the European Bureau of Consumers’ Unions (BEUC), of which the CLCV is a member, which has worked for its ban at European level”, welcomes the CLCV association.
Titanium dioxide: what is it?
Titanium dioxide is a food additive commonly used as a colorant. “Partly composed of nanoparticles, 10,000 times smaller than a grain of salt, it has no nutritional virtues. It just has an aesthetic aim to make food shine or color”, explains the CLCV.
Where do we find it?
Beyond the candy industry, Stéphen Kerckhove, president of Acting for the Environment, recalls that E171 is found in almost all prepared dishes. In 2016, the association had detected it in 150 foods, from Napolitain cakes from Lu to spices for guacamole from Carrefour, including canned veal blanquette from William Saurin. According to the UFC-Que Choisir association, more than 4,000 drugs, often very common (Doliprane, Advil, Spasfon, etc.), also hide titanium dioxide nanoparticles used as dyes. Titanium dioxide is also incorporated into many everyday products, such as cosmetics, toothpaste, sunscreens, paints or building materials.
How is it harmful to health?
On food labels, the code name for titanium dioxide is “E171”. In 2019, ANSES was seized by the ministries responsible for the Economy, Health and Agriculture, challenged by a study carried out by the National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA) on rats. The researchers demonstrated that titanium dioxide nanoparticles were responsible for precancerous lesions in the colon. They also proved that this chemical was able to cross the wall of the intestine and find its way into the bloodstream.
Other work published in the journal Particle and Fiber Toxicology shows that titanium dioxide nanoparticles can be dangerous during pregnancy, as they cross the placenta and reach the environment of the fetus.
The example of France followed by Europe
Under pressure from several associations, including the CLCV, the French government had finally decided to suspend the use of titanium dioxide in food products as a precautionary principle from January 1, 2020 for a period of one year. This measure has been extended for an additional year until January 1, 2022. “The decision of the European Commission enshrines the ban on E171 in European regulations and makes the French measure final”, concludes the CLCV.
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