Replacing Titanium Dioxide Naturally

The demand for alternatives to titanium dioxide has grown consistently over the years, especially since the inconclusive re-evaluation opinion published by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2016. Combined with the overall push to “naturalness,” this has inspired product renovation across many consumer packaged food companies.   The updated evaluation revises the outcome of EFSA’s previous assessment published in 2016, which highlighted the need for more research to fill data gaps. In order to inform decisions on possible regulatory actions, risk managers (namely the European Commission and Member States) will now be using EFSA’s scientific advice published. Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, announced via Twitter that the European Commission will propose to ban its use in the EU. Further discussions with Member States immediately started in May 2021. Sensient has been following early signs of titanium dioxide being under scrutiny from regulatory bodies and other organizations. Consequently, we have already been working on replacing titanium dioxide in food and beverage applications for more than a decade. Sensient’s global suite of titanium dioxide replacements is named Avalanche™. Sensient’s Avalanche™ range is very dynamic and I am extremely proud to introduce you to our most recent innovations: Avalanche™ Instant and Avalanche™ Smooth. Avalanche™ Instant is a clouding agent especially suitable for instant drinks with even enhanced beverage stability in comparison to titanium dioxide. Avalanche™ Smooth is a liquid alternative to titanium dioxide with opacifying or whitening effects and excellent sensory benefits for a wide range of applications, such as custards, puddings, mayonnaise, and dressings. Naturally White is the title of two of Sensient’s recent webinars designed to introduce you to the possibilities for replacing titanium dioxide across virtually any application. Both webinars are complementing each other and you can view those on-demand sessions here: As it is a challenge to replace titanium dioxide across all applications, and no single product can replace it across every application, we would recommend getting in touch early on in the formulation process to get your project started. Be prepared for upcoming regulatory actions. You can request a consult here and our team is glad to assist!