Mars Inc. Rapped For Using 'Toxic' Titanium Dioxide As Candy Additive

A lawsuit filed against Mars, Inc. alleges that Skittles are "unfit for human consumption" due to the presence of titanium dioxide.

Photo Insert: A lawsuit was recently filed against Mars, Inc. on the grounds that its iconic Skittles candy is "unfit for human consumption."

Titanium dioxide, also known as E171, is utilized as a coloring component in confectionery, chocolate, coffee creamer, cake decorations, chewing gum, and even vitamins, wrote Hannah Jeon for Good Housekeeping on July 19, 2022.

The European Commission (EC) has announced that titanium dioxide will no longer be permitted as a food additive in the European Union (EU) after August 7, 2022. Titanium oxide should not be regarded as safe as a food additive, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), because its potential to cause DNA damage is questionable.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2), according to the American Chemistry Council, is an inorganic compound used as a white powder in numerous industrial and consumer products, including sunscreen, cosmetics, toothpaste, paint, plastics, and food.

Titanium dioxide has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 2B carcinogen, or an additive that is "possibly carcinogenic to humans." The classification was based on a few animal studies that linked titanium dioxide inhalation to an increase in lung cancers in rats.

According to the Los Angeles Times, a lawsuit was recently filed against Mars, Inc. on the grounds that its iconic Skittles candy is "unfit for human consumption."

The class-action lawsuit, which was filed in mid-July in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, alleged that the candy contained "heightened levels" of a "known toxin" called titanium dioxide — a food additive that the company had previously pledged to phase out of their products by 2016, according to the Center for Food Safety (CFS.)

Some consumer advocacy groups and health organizations, most notably the Environmental Working Group, have been urging Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials to reconsider their current regulations on the additive, which is commonly found in processed snacks and sweets.

According to the American Chemistry Council, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is an inorganic powder used in numerous industrial and consumer products, including sunscreen, cosmetics, toothpaste, paint, plastics, and food.

Due to its ability to absorb UV light, it is particularly useful as a component in sunscreens, while its light-scattering properties make it ideal for applications requiring white opacity and brightness, such as paint and paper.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that titanium dioxide may be used safely in cosmetics and "may be used safely for coloring foods in general," subject to rigorous restrictions — with the ingredient's quantity limited to 1 percent of the product's total weight.

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