United States — The popular candy brand Skittles has eliminated titanium dioxide from its ingredients in the U.S., according to its parent company, Mars Wrigley.
A spokesperson for the New Jersey-based company confirmed to Fox News Digital this week that the change applies to the full Skittles portfolio sold in the United States.
Titanium dioxide is a food additive commonly used to make products appear whiter and more opaque. However, concerns about its safety have grown in recent years.
Last Thursday, the Make America Healthy Again Commission, chaired by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., released a report on chronic diseases affecting children. The report identified several food additives of concern, including titanium dioxide. It stated the substance is widely used in candies and sauces and may cause cellular and DNA damage.
Mars Wrigley said the move is part of its long-standing commitment to product safety.
“Our commitment to quality is what has enabled Mars to be enjoyed by consumers for over a century, and nothing is more important than the safety of our products,” the company spokesperson said. “All our products are safe to enjoy and meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world. That’s something we will never compromise on.”
As of now, 4,362 candies in the United States still contain titanium dioxide, according to the FoodData Central website maintained by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The European Union banned the additive in 2022, following a review by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The EFSA report raised concerns about genotoxicity, the potential for a substance to damage DNA and cause genetic mutations.
Additionally, studies by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that titanium dioxide could pose a cancer risk to humans when inhaled, classifying it as a “possible carcinogen.”
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