Titanium dioxide has been removed from the list of chemicals that would be banned as food additives under California Assembly Bill 418, which was recently named the California Food Safety Act.

A bill proposed in the New York Senate seeks to ban the use of five “five of the most pervasive and harmful food additives” in the state: brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propyl parabens, red dye 3, and titanium dioxide.

On May 15, 2023, the California State Assembly passed first-of-its-kind legislation that would prohibit the use of certain dangerous and toxic chemicals in processed foods and drinks. Assembly Bill (AB) 418 would prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of any food product in California containing red dye 3, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, or propyl paraben.

California Assembly Bill 418 would place a statewide ban on the sale of processed foods containing red dye 3, titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, or propyl paraben, due to possible associated negative human health consequences.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled to annul the European Commission’s 2019 classification of titanium dioxide, which is also known as E171 and is used to add white color to foods, as a carcinogen.

As of summer 2022, it will be illegal to use titanium dioxide in food products made in Europe.

An expert panel recently concluded that food coloring E171 (titanium dioxide) "can no longer be considered safe as a food additive," and as a result, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reclassified it.