Titanium dioxide is lurking in these holiday treats

We're not opposed to having sweets during the holiday season—but the food color additive titanium dioxide can potentially cause DNA damage, is in hundreds of Christmas treats, and should be avoided whenever possible. Here's what to look out for.

Where titanium dioxide lurks in holiday treats

Real talk: Everyone is aware that candy and other sweets are not the healthiest choice. We’re not saying no one should ever have a treat; some candies—like peanut butter cups—have a bit of protein, and a little something sweet can be a bright spot on a chilly winter evening. Sharing festive food with loved ones is an important part of the holiday season! But if you’re avoiding ingredients that are deemed dangerous enough to be banned in the European Union, then titanium dioxide should be toward the top of your list.

What is titanium dioxide?

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a chemical that is currently approved for use in the US as a color additive in foods. The additive can be found on grocery store shelves in a wide range of food products. Titanium dioxide does not have a nutritional or preservative function, but instead is used solely for superficial purposes, like adding a white color and brightness to foods and beverages.

According to the NIQ Label Insight branded food product database, titanium dioxide is currently used in somewhere between 7,000 and 15,000 brand-name food products. However, titanium dioxide does not have to be listed by name on ingredient lists—instead, food companies can just call it “artificial color” or other similarly vague terms—making it more difficult to estimate the true number of products with the additive.

Despite health concerns, the FDA has failed to ban titanium dioxide

A safety evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) found that evidence suggests that when humans ingest food-grade titanium dioxide, small particles of titanium dioxide—or “nanoparticles”—can potentially accumulate in the human body over time and cause genetic damage. In turn, damage to DNA is one way that chemicals can cause cancer and other health problems. Accumulation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the body may also damage the immune and nervous systems. Based on these concerns, the European Union banned the use of titanium dioxide in foods in 2022.

Due to the possible negative health effects of ingesting titanium dioxide nanoparticles, CSPI’s Chemical Cuisine database currently advises consumers to avoid food products containing this additive. However, some food labels do not directly list titanium dioxide as an ingredient and instead hide the ingredient behind terms like “color added” or “artificial color.” This makes it more difficult for consumers to determine whether titanium dioxide is in a particular product, highlighting the need for government action to protect consumers from the additive.

Despite EFSA’s extensive review of the studies identifying dangers associated with titanium dioxide nanoparticles and the subsequent EU ban, the FDA still allows the use of titanium dioxide in foods in the US. CSPI and four other food safety and public health advocacy groups petitioned the FDA in March 2023 to revoke approval of titanium dioxide as an additive in food products. The FDA is required to address such petitions within 180 days, but the agency has not yet responded.

Although fully addressing titanium dioxide’s dangers will require policy change, you can protect your health and your family in the interim by following CSPI’s recommendation to avoid foods containing titanium dioxide.

Which holiday treats contain titanium dioxide?

While CSPI and our partner organizations work to eliminate titanium dioxide from all foods, the best thing consumers can do is be aware and avoid the chemical when possible. To help you sort through your goodies this holiday season, we’ve rounded up a list of popular candy and snack items that might find their way into your home.

Peppermint candies

From candy cane to bark to pinwheels, peppermint is a classic Christmas flavor. Unfortunately, some of these peppermint candies contain titanium dioxide. For example, Brach’s Star Brites Peppermint Candy has titanium dioxide along with the carcinogenic synthetic food dye Red 3. And although iconic Christmas peppermint candy canes do not always contain titanium dioxide, some specific colors and varieties—such as Brach’s Wintergreen Candy Canes—do contain this harmful additive.

Gingerbread house kits

Assembling gingerbread houses with family and friends is a fun part of the December holidays. However, some do-it-yourself gingerbread house kits contain titanium dioxide. For example, Brand Castle’s Chocolate Peppermint Cookie House Kit uses titanium dioxide in its ready-to-use icing and peppermint wheels. Likewise, Bakersfield’s Gingerbread House Kit has titanium dioxide in its icing. Williams Sonoma’s DIY Candy Cane Gingerbread House Kit contains titanium dioxide in its starlight mints. And Dylan’s Candy Bar uses titanium dioxide to make the icing, sour gummy loops, sour rainbow belt bites, and other parts of its Gingerbread House Kit.

Cookie decorating kits

Similarly to gingerbread house kits, cookie decorating kits can be fun for the whole family, but some of these kits do contain titanium dioxide. For example, Publix uses titanium dioxide in the icing of its Cookie Kit, Holiday, Gingerbread Kids. And Bakersfield’s Christmas Cookie – Christmas Tree decorating kit has titanium dioxide in the red sugar and Christmas pearls.

Skittles

A standard pack of Skittles Original Fruity Candy contains titanium dioxide. Although the candies are free of Red 3, they do contain other food dyes which could cause behavioral problems in some children. Mars, the parent company that produces Skittles, has even been sued for its use of titanium dioxide to make the candies. And in the EU, where titanium dioxide was banned in foods in 2022, Mars reworked the Skittles formula for products sold there to be titanium dioxide-free. Since Mars has already made a safer version for the EU, the company could do so in the US, too.

Bottom line: Read the labels

If you’re concerned about additives, it’s best to read the label to see the full ingredient list. If you’re curious about which additives we recommend avoiding—and why—check out CSPI's Food Additive Safety Ratings.