Pet foodCaution

Titanium dioxide

ثاني أكسيد التيتانيوم

Artificial colour (inorganic)

The verdict

White colour the EU banned from food

What it is

A mineral used to make food look whiter/brighter.

⚡ WTF fact

Titanium dioxide makes things look brighter and whiter — another colour your pet doesn’t need. The reason it stands out: Europe banned it from ALL food in 2022 because its safety experts couldn’t rule out genotoxicity (DNA damage) from the tiny nanoparticles. The US still allows it. There’s no nutritional reason for it to be in your pet’s bowl, so the EU’s caution is worth knowing.

Evidence & status

Halal status: halal

Mineral (inorganic); permissible.

Also known as

TiO2 · E171 · CI 77891

Primary source

EU Regulation (EU) 2022/63 — titanium dioxide (E171) banned for all food uses since 14 January 2022, following EFSA’s 2021 opinion that it can no longer be considered safe as a food additive because a concern for genotoxicity could not be ruled out. Still permitted in the US.

Evidence, not medical advice. You decide.

More in this category

'Intermittent or supplemental feeding only'Added sugars / sweeteners Artificial colour dyes BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole)BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene)Carrageenan

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