PENNSAUKEN, NJ —Puratos has committed to remove titanium dioxide (TiO₂) from all its products by 2025.

Titanium dioxide is a naturally occurring mineral and has been used in food for decades. It typically serves as a colorant to enhance the opacity and brighten the color of white foods like dairy products, icings, fillings and chocolate.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) no longer allows TiO₂ as a food additive. Although no similar policy exists in the United States, Puratos decided to proactively remove titanium dioxide from all its products by 2025.

“For us, it was an easy decision,” said Jessica Blondeel, product director for patisserie at Puratos. “Our purpose is to move the planet forward by creating innovative food solutions for the health and well-being of people everywhere. Cleaning up our labels is a natural step towards achieving this goal.”

To reach its 2025 deadline, Puratos is taking a phased approach. The company started by removing titanium dioxide from all icings and glazes. Products such as cream fillings, however, will require a more complex reformulation to retain the products’ appearance, performance and shelf life. Despite these challenges, Puratos has already created promising TiO₂-free prototypes.

The removal of TiO₂ is another step in the company’s journey to bring cleaner label solutions to the market. In the last five years, Puratos launched cake and brownie mixes without bleached flour, preservative-free fruit fillings and an egg-wash alternative without preservatives, maltodextrin or genetically modified ingredients.