Blue California<\/a>, the producer of natural science-based ingredients, launched novel food-grade whitening agents as a clean-label alternative to replacing potential health risk white colorant titanium dioxide.<\/p>\n\u201cBrands that seek to replace the titanium dioxide white colorant will find many benefits to Blue California\u2019s patent-pending food-grade whitening agents,\u201d said Cuie Yan, Ph.D., vice president of encapsulation. \u201cOur alternative to titanium dioxide is industry-changing with opacifying or whitening effects and excellent sensory benefits with a delicious creamy\/rich mouthfeel, and contains proprietary ingredients that may have additional benefits such as supporting cognitive health.”<\/p>\n
One of the most widely used food pigments is titanium dioxide (E171), an odorless powder that enhances foods’ white color or opacity. The most common titanium dioxide products are chewing gum, candies, pastries, chocolates, coffee creamers, and cake decorations. Titanium dioxide is also used as a pigment in paints and medicines.<\/p>\n
In recent decades, concerns about the risks of titanium dioxide consumption have grown. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes titanium dioxide as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) at a maximum of 1% weight, but other organizations have issued warnings.<\/p>\n
New governing rules in Europe are in action for producers to reformulate their products during a six-month window of phasing out titanium dioxide (E171). This follows the food authority European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) decision deeming titanium dioxide (E171) as \u201cnot safe\u201d in 2021, and now a complete ban in 2022. France suspended the use of titanium dioxide in January 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur clean-label, food-grade, and effective whitening agents are heat and pH stable for a variety of applications that match the performance of titanium dioxide yet overcome its safety concerns,\u201d said Yan. \u201cWe\u2019ve innovated these solutions as safe alternatives for brands that need to reformulate products rapidly due to government authorities concerns, bans, and phasing out titanium dioxide.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blue California\u2019s patent-pending food-grade whitening powders have a similar size in diameter to the traditional titanium dioxide with higher L values (whiter), as shown in Table 1 below:<\/p>\n
Table 1. Color and particle size comparison between Blue California\u2019s novel food-grade whitening agents versus titanium dioxide whitening powder.<\/p>\n