Thierry Hoang
Negative Headlines Impacting
the Future of Titanium Dioxide
Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is the main white pigment widely used across many packaged food products, including confections, soups, fillings, sauces, pet food, and powdered soft drinks to name a few. It has been a go-to ingredient for many years due to excellent stability in heat, light, pH, oil, and moisture but has been at the center of many headlines lately.
While regulatory bodies like EFSA have concluded the safety of food grade Titanium Dioxide, there continues to be criticism from activist groups like the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and As You Sow in the United States. A recent study in Europe has led to a new review by French regulatory authorities.
Unlike the ultrafine Titanium Dioxide used in some industrial applications, food grade TiO2 does not contain nanomaterial. However, there continues to be some public confusion between food and non-food grade versions. Due to the confusion and negative publicity, it’s not surprising some brands have initiatives to seek other options.
There are alternative choices out there, and I’m very excited about our R&D team’s progress in working to close the gap for replacement options in mid-to-high water activity applications like dressings, sauces, powdered beverages, and coffee creamers. More solutions will soon be available—stay updated by reading our weekly blogs!
