JDFA announces titanium dioxide ban

AMMAN — The Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA) has stopped granting licenses to any food product that contains titanium dioxide, following the administration’s August decision banning its use and prohibiting imports of the chemical or any production inputs containing it. All previous approvals permitting the chemical’s use have been revoked.

JFDA Director General Nizar Mheidat said that December 31 is the deadline for the ban’s complete implementation, and that the administration is working to find a solution to replace titanium dioxide with a safer and permitted substance, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday.

Mheidat said that this is a proactive measure taken in light of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) continuous updates and studies on the safety of titanium dioxide in the food industry, adding that the EFSA is unable to deem the substance for use. 

The director general said that there is not enough information on this additive’s carcinogenic potential, according to the approved international references, foremost of which is the Codex Alimentarius (CODEX), which still permits the substance.

The EU has granted approvals for various products containing titanium dioxide, which could reach up to five years preceding the ban decision. The chemical compound is still allowed in a number of countries, including the UK, Australia, the US, Canada and China.