Oman Takes a Stand: Oman Implements Ban on Food Products Containing Titanium Dioxide (E171)

Dubai:  The production, importation, or marketing of food products containing Titanium Dioxide is strictly prohibited by the Royal Sultanate of Oman. Foods that include titanium dioxide (E171) have lately been prohibited by the Food Safety and Quality Centre of Oman. According to the administration, violators will also be penalized Omr 1,000 (Dh 9541.68). As The usage of Titanium Dioxide was defined by the authorities as a coloring agent that is added to various food products to give the food product a white color.

The specialist cited tahini, chewing gum, and a number of chocolates and pastries as possible destinations for the chemical. To find out if the material is listed as an addition, the Oman Food Safety and Quality Centre has encouraged consumers to study the labels of products.

A Titanium Oxide that occurs naturally is called Titanium Dioxide (E171). It is a common colorant used in the food business and gives a variety of items their white color. Titanium Dioxide is a naturally occurring mineral component with the chemical formula TiO2. It is a vital ingredient in paints, coatings, plastics, and paper goods due to its extensive use as a white pigment in a variety of sectors due to its excellent brightness and opacity. In the toothpaste, sunscreen, and cosmetics industries, Titanium Dioxide is also extensively used as a food additive (E171) as a whitening agent.

According to studies, food additives, such as antioxidants and sweeteners, are added to foods for technological purposes. Many processed meals as we know them today would not exist without food additives. Additives serve a significant role in assisting with the production, processing, preparation, treatment, packing, transport, or storage of food by extending the shelf-life of products, reducing food waste.

To give dairy products, baked goods, sauces, and confections their distinctive whiteness and brightness, the food industry uses Titanium Dioxide. Regulatory authorities in several countries, including the United States and the European Union, deem it safe for consumption when used within set limitations.

It has been used for many years and is frequently used in the production of food. The potential health dangers linked to consuming Titanium Dioxide, however, have drawn attention in recent studies. Despite the fact that it is largely accepted as safe by various regulatory agencies around the world, some study indicates it might be harmful to human health.

The prohibition imposed by Oman is in line with an expanding global movement to reconsider the usage of specific food additives. The new law mandates that food producers, importers, and distributors doing business in Oman make sure that their goods are free of Titanium Dioxide (E171). Additionally, consumers are encouraged to look for the presence of E171 on food labels.