E171 — Titanium dioxide
Also labelled: Titandioxid · TiO₂ · CI 77891
Titanium dioxide is the clearest case on this list: EFSA concluded in 2021 that it could no longer be considered safe as a food additive, and the EU banned it. If you find it on a food label in Europe today, something is wrong.
At a glance
- E number
- E171
- Class
- Colour (whitening agent)
- Origin
- Mineral pigment, refined from titanium ores
- EU status
- Banned as a food additive since 2022
- Acceptable daily intake
- None — EFSA could not establish a safe level
- Typically found in
- Formerly: chewing gum, icing, sauces, sweets, supplements. Still used in medicines and non-EU foods
What it actually is
Titanium dioxide is a bright white mineral pigment, the same substance used in paint, sunscreen and paper. In food it was used purely for appearance: making icing opaque, keeping chewing gum coatings bright, whitening sauces and dressings.
It has no preservative, nutritional or textural function whatsoever. Its entire purpose was to make food look whiter — which is worth remembering when weighing the regulatory outcome.
Why it was banned
Food-grade E171 contains a fraction of nanoscale particles. In May 2021 EFSA published a re-evaluation concluding that a concern for genotoxicity could not be ruled out — the possibility that the particles could damage DNA. Critically, EFSA found it could not establish an acceptable daily intake, because there was no level it could identify as safe.
The European Commission acted on that opinion with Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/63, which entered into force on 7 February 2022 and removed E171 from the list of permitted food additives. A six-month transition allowed existing stock to be sold, so since 7 August 2022 food containing E171 may not be manufactured or placed on the EU market.
Where you can still encounter it
Titanium dioxide remains authorised as a colour in medicinal products, where it is widely used in tablet coatings. The Commission kept it on the list for that purpose while alternatives are assessed, precisely because reformulating thousands of medicines carries its own risks.
It also remains permitted in food in a number of countries outside the EU, including the United States. Imported confectionery, supplements and sweets bought online can therefore still contain it, sometimes labelled as titanium dioxide or CI 77891 rather than E171.
How Frela scores it
Frela rates E171 high risk. It is one of the few additives where the rating is not a judgement call: the EU withdrew its authorisation because no safe level could be established.
In practice, if Frela flags E171 in a product you scanned in Europe, the most likely explanations are an imported product, an old database record, or a supplement sold under different rules. It is worth checking the physical label before concluding the product is non-compliant.
Common questions
I found E171 in something I bought recently. Is it illegal?
In the EU, food containing E171 has not been permitted on the market since August 2022. It may be an import, a product sold under non-food rules such as a supplement, or a database entry that predates the ban. Checking the physical packaging is the fastest way to tell.
Is the titanium dioxide in my medication a problem?
That use remains authorised in the EU and is regulated separately from food. Do not stop taking prescribed medication over an additive; that is a question for a pharmacist or doctor, not a food app.
Is it banned everywhere?
No. The ban is an EU measure. Several major markets, including the United States, still permit it in food, though some have reviewed it since.
Sources
- EFSA — Safety assessment of titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive (2021)
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/63 — withdrawal of E171 authorisation
Last reviewed:
