When E171 is part of a food product, it passes through the digestive system without causing harm because E171 combines with the other ingredients.
≥99.0
As of August 7, the use of titanium dioxide in food is banned in the European Union. Europe is taking a precautionary principle approach based on findings from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
On November 23, 2022, the General Court of the European Union reversed the conclusion that titanium dioxide was carcinogenic and released a statement (1,2):
“First, the Commission made a manifest error in its assessment of the reliability and acceptability of the study on which the classification was based and, second, it infringed the criterion according to which that classification can relate only to a substance that has the intrinsic property to cause cancer.”
As part of our mission at CRIS we base our safety assessments on the currently available scientific evidence and consider many variables (e.g., study quality, journal of publication, etc.), even if it goes against previous conclusions. Evidence-informed decisions making is critical to ensure that the laws and regulations put into place are for the benefit of the population.
The EU General Court maintains that the scientific evidence presented wasn’t the complete picture for the ingredient, “in the present case, the requirement to base the classification of a carcinogenic substance on reliable and acceptable studies was not satisfied.”
Par ailleurs, dès lors que l'on recherche une certain transparence dans les travaux artistiques, son pouvoir opacifiant et son pouvoir dégradant des couleurs pas trop élevés le désignent pour remplacer le dioxyde de titane trop opaque et trop dégradant (§ Des Liants et des couleurs aux éditions EREC)