A class action lawsuit has been filed against Mars, the maker of the candy Skittles, for having high levels of food additive titanium dioxide (TiO2). Mars uses this to create the mixed colors of Skittles. Titanium dioxide is also used in sunscreen, roofing materials, plastic, paints and adhesives. The European Food Safety Authority noted that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive.
They note that it is being banned because of genotoxicity (it can alter DNA) as well as cause brain and organ damage and lesions in the kidneys and liver. It is currently still being used in the United States as the FDA notes it can be used as a food additive as long as it comprises less than one percent of a food’s weight. Mars noted it will be removing titanium dioxide sometime in the future (no timeline given).
The FDA will likely be weighing in further, but I brought this into my blog because of the potential toxicity to humans. I’m giving a heads up to parents to research this for their children. Over the years I have noticed that Europe seems to be ahead of us in removing toxins from foods and medications. Many European countries such as Germany also have national commissions that evaluate the purity of supplements which we do not do. The FDA which analyzes medications does not get involved with supplements.
Thus, any supplement that you buy in the United States may be sawdust and nobody would know better. A way around this is that supplement companies hire third party independent companies to verify the potency, purity and quality of supplements. I do find it more reassuring that in my patients that use supplements, those that purchase from reputable companies with independent third-party verification are more likely to avoid contamination. Still, one must be alert to the usual corruption of bribes and kickbacks to provide certain results. Even the FDA has missed some contamination of medications such as Diovan (valsartan) which has been a well-used blood pressure medication, and Zantac (ranitidine) which is used as an antacid and was being made in China and contaminated with such toxic chemicals as benzene. Why we are having China and India manufacturing many of our medications is beyond me as our standards are sometimes different. We should be making our own medications in the United States and the FDA should be heavily regulating production to ensure purity. You certainly do not wish to be ingesting or being exposed to benzene in any way.
This is one more example of how the power of profit can override safety and even common sense. As long as we continue to elect officials who are privy to campaign contributions from small interest groups and corporations over representing the best interests of their constituents, these problems will only continue.
