Europe’s food agency changes its mind on titanium dioxide in food

Titanium dioxide, which is used as a colourant in many common household items such as toothpaste, sunscreen, paint and food colouring, ‘can no longer be considered as safe when used as a food additive’, according to an updated safety assessment by European Food Safety Authority (Efsa). The Efsa expert panel concluded that the absorption of titanium dioxide particles is low after oral ingestion, but they can accumulate in the body and genotoxicity concerns cannot be excluded.