Foods Containing E171 (Titanium Dioxide)
E171 (Titanium Dioxide) is a white mineral pigment banned as a food additive in the EU since 2022 over DNA-damage concerns, but still permitted in the US and UK. Here's where you're most likely to find it on food labels.
Common foods that contain E171
E171 is used across sweets, soft drinks, desserts, ice cream, sauces and snacks. The foods where it appears most often include:
- Chewing gum
- White sweets and icing
- Tablet coatings
- Coffee creamers
- Historically: many white foods
Exact usage varies by brand and recipe — the only way to know for certain whether a specific product contains E171 is to check its ingredients list, where it must be declared by law, either as "E171" or as "Titanium Dioxide".
How to spot E171 on a label
In the UK and EU, additives must appear in the ingredients list with their function and either their E-number or full name — for example "food colourings: E171" or "food colourings: titanium dioxide". In the US the E-number system isn't used, so look for the full name "Titanium Dioxide" instead.
Should you avoid foods containing E171?
E171 is banned or restricted in one or more major markets. Different regulators have reviewed the evidence and reached different conclusions, so its status depends on where you live — always check the position in your own country. The EU banned titanium dioxide in food from August 2022 after EFSA concluded it could no longer be considered safe, citing concerns about genotoxicity from nanoparticles. It remains permitted in the UK and US, where regulators reviewed the same evidence and reached different conclusions.
Full guide to E171: safety, vegan and halal status →
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Additive data sourced from Open Food Facts (ODbL licence) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).