Banned in Europe, this controversial ingredient is allowed in foods here
Banned in Europe, this controversial ingredient is allowed in foods here
A CBC Marketplace investigation found some food manufacturers are producing snack foods for the Canadian market that contain an ingredient banned in Europe.
That additive, titanium dioxide, was banned in the European Union after a May 2021 European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) review couldn't rule out that it may cause DNA or chromosomal damage in humans.
"What we concluded was that we could not really exclude the possibility that titanium dioxide can damage the DNA material, the genetic material in the cells," Camilla Smeraldi, team leader for EFSA's food additive and flavourings team, told Marketplace in an interview from her office in Parma, Italy. "It's not something that we should intentionally add to foods."
Hmm. "Couldn't rule out" ≠ "does". I can understand wanting to hold a claim of damage to a slightly higher standard of proof. I can also understand wanting to err on the side of caution.
On trhe one hand, this looks like a nothingburger to me—likely this stuff is no more dangerous than, say, table salt (which no one expects to completely remove from processed foods even though it has known medical risks associated with it).
On the other hand, titanium dioxide is just a colourant, so taking it out doesn't alter the food in any way that matters.
🤷
I think your last point is the major point; why add it if the science is not giving a definitive answer. IDGAF if my toothpaste isn't as white as before.
From what I recall, the danger of TiO2 comes from inhaling the particles, which means that when it's mixed into food, it becomes harmless. But it does means that it's dangerous to those involved in preparing the food if safety precautions aren't taken.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
"What we concluded was that we could not really exclude the possibility that titanium dioxide can damage the DNA material, the genetic material in the cells," Camilla Smeraldi, team leader for EFSA's food additive and flavourings team, told Marketplace in an interview from her office in Parma, Italy.
"Health Canada's report on titanium dioxide as a food additive placed the greatest emphasis on the studies it considered to be the most reliable and relevant," a spokesperson for the department told Marketplace in an emailed statement, adding that could change if new scientific evidence finds the additive is not safe.
A consumer health watchdog says food manufacturers should proactively offer the titanium dioxide-free versions to everyone, no matter where they live.
"I'd like them to make the choice to reformulate their products, to get rid of titanium dioxide … for the good of public health," he said.
Marketplace asked the manufacturers why they don't sell titanium dioxide-free versions of these snacks in Canada like they do in Europe.
The full Marketplace episode also explores other controversial ingredients and why they get warning labels in Europe but not in Canada.
The original article contains 490 words, the summary contains 188 words. Saved 62%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
Why they put this in my food? And who is doing the putting? Name and shame pleats.
My chromosomes hurt.
Why they put this in my food?
To make it look more appealing.
And who is doing the putting?
At a minimum, the companies listed in the article.
It's okay if I damage my chromosomes, I've got a few extra to spare
It's a white dye, it's use in the lettering on Skittles and in makeup.
we could not really exclude the possibility
You'll excuse me if this doesn't on its face fill me with any real sense of urgency.
Dna or chromosomal damage… fuckin hell and thats in food?? Must be extra tasty or something gsus.
Health Canada published a review of titanium dioxide studies in June 2022, which found there is no conclusive scientific evidence that the food additive is a concern for human health.
After reading the review it does make their code I’m choice make more sense, however I do think the more you add to food the worse it probably is.
I wouldn't panic. Health scares happen every now and then. This one may be more serious since it's already banned in Europe. Takes a lot to get substances banned in Canada. BHT, Glyphosate (RoundUp), Aspartame, Sucralose, MSG, etc, have all been under scrutiny at one point or another, and they are still all with us after failing to repeatedly demonstrate danger.
All of those (except MSG as far as I know) are definitively bad, the only question is how bad.
The problem is in the US, we've basically decided if there's no acute symptoms or a direct line to a very serious long term illness, we let companies do whatever they want.
It doesn't flow from science to policy, it mostly flows from public sentiment to policy