Mars phases out controversial colour additive in Skittles in US

Skittles in the US are no longer being made with titanium dioxide, a colour additive that was banned in the European Union in 2022 over possible health risks.

Sweets giant Mars said it had stopped using the ingredient in its US Skittles portfolio at the end of last year.

The move follows years of criticism about the presence of titanium dioxide in the candy and comes as US President Donald Trump's elevation of Robert F Kennedy Jr to lead the Department of Health and Human Services has pushed concerns about processed foods to the front of public health debates.

Mars had said in 2016 that it would stop using "all artificial colours" in its foods, citing evolving consumer preferences.

The company did not comment on whether consumers would notice any difference after the removal of the ingredient, which can be used to make food shiny or more brightly coloured.

Mars and other firms have disputed claims of health risks associated with consumption of titanium dioxide, a white pigment that is used in bakery products, sweets, cosmetics and other products such as paint.

It is allowed in many countries, including the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand.

In the US, a high-profile 2023 effort in California to ban the ingredient was defeated, but efforts in other states continue to bubble.

The White House's Make America Healthy Again report published earlier this month also spotlighted titanium dioxide and other food additives as a key concern.

Mars, which also makes M&Ms, Snickers and Kind snack bars, did not explain why it had made the decision, which was first reported by Bloomberg.

The company did not respond when asked whether the change would apply to Skittles sold outside the US.

"Our commitment to quality is what has enabled Mars to be enjoyed by consumers for over a century, and nothing is more important than the safety of our products," a spokesperson said in a statement.

"All our products are safe to enjoy and meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world, and that's something we will never compromise on."

Melanie Benesh is vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a Washington-based activist organisation focused on chemicals that has raised concerns about titanium dioxide.

She credited state-level efforts, rather than federal action, with putting pressure on companies such as Mars to change their recipes.

She pointed out that the EWG had yet to receive a response to the petition it filed in 2023 asking regulators at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban titanium dioxide.

"The FDA has said a lot of things about food additives but we have not seen them take any enforceable actions yet," she said. "What has unquestionably made a difference is all of the action at the state level."

Skittles, which have ranked among the world's most popular chewy candies, were invented in the UK.

They have been made in the US since 1981. Mars' Wrigley division bought the brand in 2009.

In 2022, the company faced a class-action lawsuit over titanium dioxide in Skittles, which was dismissed.