Is titanium dioxide (E171) permitted as a food additive in the EU, the UK, the US and Canada? Give the current status, legal basis and dates in each market, with citations.

The EU and the US/Canada now point in opposite directions. Titanium dioxide is banned as a food additive in the EU (including Northern Ireland). It is still permitted in food in Great Britain, the US and Canada.

Approach: I checked the EU Food Additives Regulation (the 2008 act, its amendments and the current consolidated text), EFSA's 2021 opinion, the GB approved additives list, 21 CFR Part 73 and FDA's colour additive status list, and Health Canada's permitted additive lists. Reviews, petitions and state laws come from official EC, FSA/COT, FDA, Federal Register, Health Canada, California and West Virginia web pages, which I saw only as search snippets.

EU

• Why it was banned: EFSA's opinion of May 2021 found that a concern for genotoxicity could not be ruled out. It concluded that "E 171 can no longer be considered as safe when used as a food additive" ^[1][2].
• The amending act: Regulation (EU) 2022/63 was adopted on 14 January 2022 and published in OJ L 11 on 18 January 2022 ^[3]. It removed E 171 from the Group II quantum satis colours and from food categories 04.2.4.1 and 09.2 ^[4]. It entered into force on the 20th day after publication ^[5].
• Transition: Foods made under the old rules before 7 February 2022 could be placed on the market until 7 August 2022. After that they could stay on sale until their minimum durability or "use by" date ^[6].
• What remains in the current text: The consolidated Regulation (version of 18 February 2026) still lists E 171 in Part B. The footnote says it is "not authorised in the food categories listed in Part D and E" and is listed only because of its use in medicinal products under Directive 2009/35/EC ^[7]. It may also not be sold directly to consumers ^[4].
• Medicines review: Article 3 required the Commission to review the medicines exemption within three years ^[8]. A Commission staff working document published 6 August 2025 confirms titanium dioxide should still be allowed in medicines, based on EMA's updated analysis of April 2024 (search snippet).
• No later changes found: None of the amending acts of 2024 to 2026 that I checked changes the E 171 entry.

Great Britain (and Northern Ireland)

• The GB list shows "E171 — Titanium dioxide; not permitted for use in Northern Ireland", in the Colours class ^[9]. I did not retrieve the GB legislative text behind the list.
• The FSA asked its Committee on Toxicity (COT) to review the evidence after EFSA's opinion. In 2024 the COT concluded a health risk from current UK dietary exposure is unlikely, and noted E171 remains authorised in GB (search snippet).

United States

• Federal rule: 21 CFR 73.575 (eCFR edition of 11 Sept 2026) allows titanium dioxide "for coloring foods generally". The amount must not exceed 1% by weight of the food. It may only be used in foods with a federal standard of identity if that standard allows added colour, and batches are exempt from certification ^[10].
• Other uses: Drugs (§73.1575), cosmetics (§73.2575) and contact lenses (§73.3126) are also listed ^[11][12][13].
• History: FDA's status list (updated 14 Aug 2026) shows "Permanently listed, exempt from certification". The timeline runs from a provisional regulation (25 FR 9759, 12 Oct 1960), to a final rule (31 FR 1065, 27 Jan 1966), to confirmation of the effective date (31 FR 12840, 1 Oct 1966) ^[14].
• Pending petition: Colour Additive Petition CAP 3C0325 asks FDA to repeal §73.575 for food. It was filed on 14 April 2023 by the Environmental Defense Fund and others, noticed in the Federal Register on 3 May 2023, and was still under review as of 19 August 2026 (search snippets).
• States: California's AB 418 (Food Safety Act) applies from 1 January 2027. Its enacted text covers brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and Red Dye 3, but not titanium dioxide. West Virginia SB 745 (2026) would have banned it in public-school meals from 1 August 2027, but it was tabled in the House Education Committee (search snippets).

Canada

• Uses: List 3, item T.2 permits titanium dioxide as a food colour at Good Manufacturing Practice levels in ^{[15][16][17][18]}:
  • listed standardized foods (for example icing sugar, ice cream mix, smoked fish);
  • certain prepared fish and meat blends;
  • flavour essences and extracts;
  • unstandardized foods.
• Potassium aluminum silicate-based forms (items P.4 and P.5) have numeric limits, for example 1.25% in unstandardized confectionery ^[19].
• Science review: Health Canada's June 2022 report found no conclusive evidence that food-grade titanium dioxide is a concern for human health (search snippet).

Sources:

• FDA: Titanium Dioxide as a Color Additive in Foods
• Federal Register: Filing of Color Additive Petition, revoke titanium dioxide listing (2023)
• COT Statement on the safety of Titanium Dioxide (E171)
• COT final statement on TiO2 (PDF)
• Health Canada: TiO2 as a food additive, current science report
• European Commission: Staff working document on titanium dioxide in medicinal products
• California AB 418 bill text
• WV Legislature: House Education tables SB 745