MARS Corporation, the company behind the popular Skittles candy, is being sued for its use of titanium dioxide.
A California consumer filed the lawsuit in July 2022, claiming that the candy contains “heightened levels” of the inorganic compound.
What is titanium dioxide?
Titanium dioxide is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula TiO2.
It is the ninth most common element in the Earth’s crust and is an active ingredient in sunscreen, according to Chemical Safety Facts.
Due to its chemical makeup, it works as a UV filtering ingredient to help protect skin from the sun's damaging rays.
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It can also be found in paints, adhesives, paper, plastics, toothpaste, soap, food colorants, and water treatment agents, among other things.
Is titanium dioxide safe to eat?
While titanium dioxide might sound like a dangerous chemical, it is actually found in several foods, including candies, pastries, chewing gum, and coffee creamers.
Due to its nature, there are some safety concerns, but the FDA generally recognizes titanium dioxide as safe to consume in small amounts, according to Healthline.
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FDI guidelines state that food must have no more than 1% titanium dioxide in it.
Why is Mars, Incorporated being sued over titanium dioxide?
In July 2022, Jenile Thames filed a lawsuit in Oakland, California, claiming that Skittles “are unfit for human consumption,” according to TODAY.
He is now seeking damages from Mars Corporation for fraud and violations of California consumer protection laws.
The suit goes on to note that TiO2 was banned in France in 2019 and that the European Food Safety Authority determined that the toxin “could not be considered safe for consumption."
Because it is still used in the United States, the lawsuit added that the country failed “to inform consumers of the implications of consuming the toxin."
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Thames reportedly would not have bought the product if he knew what was in it and claims that the ingredients were hard to read due to the product's colorful label.
A spokesperson for the company told TODAY: "While we do not comment on pending litigation, our use of titanium dioxide complies with FDA regulations.”
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