Skittles removes controversial additive targeted by RFK Jr.

By Deena Shanker and Will Kubzansky Bloomberg News Mars Inc s Skittles candies are no longer being made with titanium dioxide a chemical that whitens foods brightens colors and makes candy appear shiny the company verified to Bloomberg News The ingredient was removed from all Skittles production at the end of last year a spokesperson commented The additive was banned in the European Union in over concerns that nanoparticles of the substance might accumulate in the body and damage DNA It has also come under scrutiny by the Department of Wellbeing and Human Services in latest months under Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr Soundness and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr left and Learning Secretary Linda McMahon attend a Make America Healthy Again MAHA Commission Event in the East Room of the White House Thursday May in Washington AP Photo Jacquelyn Martin In groups including the Environmental Working Group and the Center for Food Safety filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration to remove the approval of titanium dioxide as a color additive in food That petition was still under review as of March according to the FDA website Titanium dioxide hasn t been banned in the U S though Mars pledged to stop using the additive in It was still listed as an ingredient in Sour Skittles earlier this year In a announcement to Bloomberg News in January the company revealed its use of the ingredient was in compliance with establishment regulations The company is now in the process of updating its website to reflect the reformulation though shoppers may see products containing titanium dioxide on shelves until those products sell through The chewy candies still use synthetic dyes including Red Yellow and Blue according to their labels HHS and FDA mentioned in April that they ll work with food producers to eliminate the dyes by the end of Industry groups have reported no agreement exists on the matter Related Articles Ex-assistant testifies Sean Diddy Combs sexually assaulted her and used violence to get his way Victoria s Secret website is down in the US as the lingerie seller addresses a guard case The world s longest living pygmy hippo in captivity is a California resident Texas push to ban minors under from social media fades with time running out Looking to keep wildlife out of the urgency room states expand managers role Other foods including Mondelez International Inc s Sour Patch Kids Watermelon Kraft Heinz Co s Lunchables Cookie Dunks and JM Smucker Co s Donettes at present use titanium dioxide It s also a common ingredient in sunscreens and white paints Mondelez recommended Bloomberg News reach out to the Consumer Brands Association an industry group Companies adhere to the rigorous science and risk-based safety standards established by the FDA for the use of titanium dioxide as a color additive in food disclosed Sarah Gallo senior vice president of product procedures for the group Kraft Heinz and JM Smucker didn t straightaway respond to a request for comment JM Smucker advised Bloomberg in March that its products and labeling abide by FDA regulations The White House s Make America Healthy Again document listed titanium dioxide as an additive of promising concern Earlier in May the Food and Drug Administration revealed it would speed up an existing review of the ingredient HHS didn t respond to a request for comment on Skittles removal of titanium dioxide With assistance from Bill Haubert and Rachel Cohrs Zhang Bloomberg L P Visit bloomberg com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency LLC