Titanium dioxide
E171
E171, titanium dioxide, dióxido de titanio, titanium white, CI Pigment White 6, anatase, rutile
What it is
An inorganic white mineral pigment historically used to whiten and brighten foods.
Why BOTIA flags it
BOTIA flags E171 because EFSA could not rule out genotoxicity and no longer considered it safe as a food additive. The EU removed its authorisation in 2022.
BOTIA CAN
- Identify E171 on scanned ingredient lists and issue a high-risk ban warning.
- Say why E171 lost authorisation: genotoxicity could not be ruled out. Ovarian nanoparticle accumulation was not the established basis for the ban.
BOTIA CANNOT
- Identify whether a product purchased outside the EU still utilizes E171 unless indicated on the packaging.
- Detect the exact proportion of nanoparticle-sized (less than 100 nm) titanium dioxide present in the additive.