A recent analysis of French milk and infant formulas has revealed the presence of titanium dioxide—which is banned as a food additive in the EU due to potential toxicity—in all human and animal milk samples, as well as in most infant formula samples. Researchers raise concerns about implications for infant health, and question routes of exposure leading to contamination.
FDA notes that, until now, it has conducted post-market reviews on a case-by-case basis, often in response to citizen petitions or new scientific evidence. FDA says the new framework will be more proactive.
Taking effect by the 2026–2027 school year, the Arizona Healthy Schools Act has been signed into law, banning “ultra-processed foods,” defined as foods containing any one of 11 artificial food dyes and additives, from being sold in schools.
Arizona House Bill 2164, aiming to ban 11 chemicals and colorants, has passed the state House and has moved onto the Senate. Similar bills are currently progressing in West Virginia and Texas.
Texas and West Virginia are the latest states to progress bills that aim to ban artificial food dyes and other additives from foods served at schools or from sale statewide.
Following the California Food Safety Act’s precedent, Illinois Senate Bill 2637, dubbed the Illinois Food Safety Act, aims to ban brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3 from foods sold in the state.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we are joined by Brian Sylvester, J.D., Partner in Perkins Coie LLP's Washington D.C. office and former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Attorney-Advisor, to talk about the nationwide ramifications and precedent set by the recently passed California Food Safety Act banning four major food additives in the state.
The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) recently reaffirmed a “not specified” acceptable daily intake (ADI) for titanium dioxide, as well as concluded that there is no safety concern for and established the specifications for 21 flavoring agents.
The California Food Safety Act—statewide legislation that bans the sale of foods containing red dye 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, and propylparaben—was signed into California law by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 7, 2023.
A recent study conducted by the Japanese National Institute of Health Sciences has filled data gaps about and provided support for the safety of titanium dioxide as a food additive.
