Some food additives are unsafe; titanium dioxide (E171) was found no longer safe as a food additive.
Original statement
No Arabic original wording available.
Translation
Some food additives are unsafe; titanium dioxide (E171) was found no longer safe as a food additive.
Origin
- Source status
- Archive editors
- Attribution
- Archive editors (study selection and narrative are the archive's, not necessarily Elawady's)
- Origin
- https://eltayebat.com/rule/ultra-processed-foods/
- Attribution uncertainty
- The archive homepage states that the forbidden-food section is supported by research 'independently of Dr. Diaa's words'. No evidence was found that Elawady himself cited these studies.
- Claimed mechanism
Genotoxicity concern.
- Claimed health effect
Possible DNA damage.
- Population concerned
General population
- Geographic restriction by Elawady
none found
Scientific assessment
True – The statement is supported by robust evidence.
Certainty of evidence: high – Further research is very unlikely to change the assessment.
1. What was claimed?
E171 is unsafe (implied by citation).
2. What is demonstrably correct?
EFSA concluded E171 'can no longer be considered as safe' because genotoxicity concerns could not be ruled out; the EU withdrew its authorisation (Reg. (EU) 2022/63, in force 7 February 2022, with transition).
3. What is wrong or exaggerated?
Nothing incorrect; the conclusion rests on inability to rule out genotoxicity rather than demonstrated harm in humans. The example shows that the EU re-evaluation system can remove additives, i.e., additives are not a homogeneous risk.
4. What remains unclear?
Human health effects at former intakes.
5. Which studies support it?
6. Which studies contradict it?
None.
7. What applies to Germany and Europe?
E171 is no longer permitted in foods in the EU.
8. What is known about Egypt?
Egyptian regulatory status of E171 was not verified.
9. What practical conclusion is appropriate?
Not relevant to consumers in the EU today; relevant where E171 is still used.
Assessment details
- Rationale for certainty of evidence
EFSA 2021 opinion (A-UPF-21) and EU withdrawal of authorisation by Regulation (EU) 2022/63 (verified on the European Commission website).
- Source quality
Archive cites EFSA opinion in bibliography only (no narrative statement; claim derived from citation).
- Regional transferability
EU-specific regulatory action; other countries may differ.
- Individual exceptions
Not applicable.
- Regional scope of the claim
- general (biological/medical)
- Last reviewed
- 25 October 2026 provisional
In plain language
European food safety experts concluded in 2021 that the white colouring titanium dioxide (E171) could no longer be considered safe, because damage to genetic material could not be ruled out. The EU banned it from food in 2022. This shows that additives are re-checked and can be withdrawn.
Studies on this claim
Studies supporting the claim (2)
-
EFSA: titanium dioxide no longer safe
EFSA FAF Panel et al.. EFSA J 2021 · PMID 33976718 · DOI 10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6585Risk assessmentcited by the Tayebat archivefull text checkedEFSA could not rule out DNA damage and concluded E171 is no longer safe; the EU then banned it.
Does the study support the specific claim? Yes · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Is E171 safe as a food additive?
- How was the study done?
Regulatory scientific opinion (risk assessment).
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
Not applicable; Not applicable
- What was actually found?
Low absorption but possible accumulation; no general/organ toxicity up to 1,000 mg/kg bw/day (E171); potential immunotoxicity, inflammation, neurotoxicity, aberrant crypt foci; genotoxicity concern (DNA strand breaks, chromosomal damage) could not be ruled out; E171 no longer considered safe.
- How large was the observed effect?
Not applicable
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
One additive withdrawn after re-evaluation.
- What are the study's limitations?
Based on animal and laboratory studies; the decision was precautionary because a risk of DNA damage could not be ruled out, not because harm in people was shown; applies to one colouring (E 171) only.
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
Supports C-UPF-09; limits C-UPF-11 (additives not uniformly harmless).
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
High.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
That all additives are harmful.
-
How the EU regulates food additives
European Commission (DG SANTE). European Commission website 2026 (accessed)Guideline / position statementindependent cross-checkfull text checkedEU additives need authorisation, are re-evaluated, and E171 was banned in 2022.
Does the study support the specific claim? Yes · Methodological quality: high · Certainty of evidence: see overall assessment of the claim
Original publication · Scientific details
Study explained simply
- What did the researchers want to find out?
Regulatory framework for food additives in the EU.
- How was the study done?
Official regulatory information pages (read).
- How many people, animals or samples were studied?
Not applicable; Not applicable
- What was actually found?
All EU additives must be authorised and listed with conditions of use (Reg. 1333/2008, Annex II Union list) based on safety assessment, technological need and not misleading consumers. Additives permitted before 20 January 2009 are re-evaluated by EFSA under Reg. (EU) 257/2010. Regulation (EU) 2022/63 (adopted 14 January 2022, in force 7 February 2022) withdrew the authorisation of titanium dioxide (E171), with transitional measures.
- How large was the observed effect?
Not applicable
- What do the results mean in everyday life?
Additives are checked and can be withdrawn.
- What are the study's limitations?
Regulatory status may change
- What does it say about Elawady's specific claim?
- Do the results apply to Germany and Europe?
Directly applicable in EU/Germany.
- What can explicitly not be concluded from this study?
Safety of any individual additive not mentioned.
No study in this group is marked as key.
Studies contradicting or limiting the claim (0)
No studies in this group.
Studies with mixed or unclear results (0)
No studies in this group.
Regional context
Germany / EU
E171 is no longer permitted in foods in the EU.
Egypt
Egyptian regulatory status of E171 was not verified.
What applies in my country?
General scientific assessment
True Correct: E171 is no longer authorised in EU food.
The following areas of food safety are relevant to this statement:
- Additives and processing
- Controls, imports, recalls, labelling
Choose a country to see the checked information for it.
Limits: legal rules describe what is allowed, not what every single food contains. Measurement data come from samples and are meaningful only together with their method details.
Country of residence or purchase Compare with another country
References
- Safety assessment of titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive.. EFSA FAF Panel et al.. EFSA J 2021 · PMID 33976718 · DOI 10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6585
- European Commission: Re-evaluation of food additives (incl. Q&A on titanium dioxide, Regulation (EU) 2022/63) and EU rules on food additives (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008). European Commission (DG SANTE). European Commission website 2026 (accessed)