White is a critical color to the aesthetics of so many dietary supplement and pharmaceutical product applications, from two piece hard capsules to gummy vitamins and hard lozenges. Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) was once the most widely used natural color, especially with the strong color performance at very low usage rates. However, scrutiny and pushback from consumer advocacy groups and regulatory bodies across the globe continues to create uncertainty and controversy over the acceptance of titanium dioxide, so much that the once star color has seen a significant decline in usage over the past decade.
The official enactment of France’s ban on titanium dioxide beginning January 1, 2020, heightened the global conversation in the pharmaceutical industry and spurred manufacturers worldwide to seek out TiO2-free alternatives. While French dietary supplement producers have claimed on packaging that their product does not include any titanium dioxide, we expect to see other countries follow. Even though, the European Commission does not plan to expand this ban to other European countries, German brands also started to target the mindful consumer while promoting product formulations that are developed without titanium dioxide.
