White Color

White color in food typically refers to ingredients added to make products appear white or opaque. The most common food additive used for this purpose is titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide is a naturally occurring mineral that is processed into a fine white powder for use in food.

It is added to foods to impart a white color, increase opacity, or brighten other colors. It is commonly found in candies, chewing gum, dairy products, salad dressings, and some baked goods.

In the United States, titanium dioxide is permitted by the FDA as a food color additive. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has evaluated titanium dioxide and concluded that an acceptable daily intake (ADI) does not need to be specified. However, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in 2021 that titanium dioxide could no longer be considered safe as a food additive due to concerns about potential genotoxicity, leading to its ban as a food additive in the European Union in 2022. The FDA maintains that titanium dioxide is safe under current conditions of use and it is not included in the FDA's announced plan to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes.