EC Standing Committee Approves EC Proposal to Ban Use of Titanium Dioxide (E171) as a Food Additive
The European Commission (EC) announced on October 8, 2021, that the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed approved the EC’s proposal to ban the use of titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive. The EC states that its proposal “is based on a scientific opinion by the European Food Safety Authority, which concluded that E171 could no longer be considered as safe when used as a food additive, in particular due to the fact that concerns regarding genotoxicity cannot be ruled out.” According to the EC, unless an objection is adopted by the end of 2021 by either the Council or the European Parliament, the text will enter into force in early 2022. This will begin a six-month phasing out period after which a full ban will apply in food products. The EC has posted questions and answers (Q&A) regarding its proposal.