Skittles, Starburst and thousands of other sweet treats marketed to children contain titanium dioxide – an additive European food safety regulators say is “no longer safe for human consumption”, based on a new study.
A new lawsuit was filed last week against Mars Incorporated (the maker of Skittles) stating that titanium dioxide (E171) is genotoxic, with the ability to break DNA strands and cause chromosomal damage. (source) Titanium dioxide can generally be thought of as a “paint primer” – it often goes on a hard-shelled candy like Skittles before the color is added to give it a “uniform shine.” (source)
Environmental Working Group reviewed the listed ingredients of more than 100,000 products available on EWG’s Food Scores and found titanium dioxide in more than 3,000 ultra-processed foods, including Skittles, Starburst, Hostess’ Donettes, Swedish Fish, Jell-O, Little Debbie, Tasty Cakes, Sour Patch Kids.
Titanium Dioxide and artificial colors have been BANNED in Europe because the studies show they may have genotoxic effects (meaning it has the ability to damage your DNA, which could lead to cancer).
Listen to Vani Hari, the Food Babe on Instagram:
“Nothing is more disgusting than food companies creating the same products with safer ingredients for other countries, while they continue to poison Americans with ingredients that harm our health. This is why I say the FDA is not protecting us. It’s basically up to you to know what the ingredients are in your food and how they can affect the body. These companies won’t change unless the marketplace forces them to…so please vote with your dollars and buy products from companies who are doing the right things.” ~Vani Hari, the Food Babe
If you want to be shocked at all the nasty things titanium dioxide does in the body, scroll way down to the green Table 2 of this study. Yikes!
Please share to spread the word about Skittles, and always read the ingredients list when you buy – especially brightly colored candies targeting kids. See some healthier “candy” swaps here.
Better yet, please give your kids fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon, plums, nectarines, oranges, mandarins, mangos, apples, pears, cherries, apricots, kiwi, etc.) and train their taste buds to love the nutrient-rich real thing – God’s candy!
It’ll make such a difference in their health for the rest of their life.
***If you found value in this writing, please share it, discuss it, and subscribe to my FREE newsletter. Independent work like this spreads because of readers like you.
I’d love to stay connected with you, and here is one way…
Censorship is real, so my Pinterest account was suspended; thankfully, a big part of my main board is still alive through this link!
You can also find me on Facebook, Gab, MeWe, X (Twitter), and Instagram.
****For the Full Spike Protein Protocol to protect from transmission from the “V” and to help those who took the “V”, go here.
©2026 Deep Roots at Home • All Rights Reserved
Virginia S.
Thanks for your articles. They are very informative. By choosing NOT to ingest processed foods and drinks with Titanium dioxide and toxic food dyes, our health can be somewhat protected from these. But what about when we don’t have a choice to do without taking in a product with these? For instance, is anyone fighting to have these damaging things banned in Rx medications and supplements?
Jacqueline
Virginia, yes, that is the prayer. If RFK, Jr. gets passed through to a full confirmation vote as the head of Health and Human Services (HHS), it is one of the many things on his radar to deal with and eliminate.
I am praying that all the waste, greed, grifting, fear-mongering, mis-information and coercion are exposed and put to an end! ~Jacque
Sue Beer
Never liked them.
Bea Ann Bridges
Hi Jacque! Thank you for this very helpful article – just forwarded to my daughter, mom of our 3 year old granddaughter!
A quick question – for some reason, I sometimes get titanium dioxide mixed up with zinc oxide. I’m sure the are completely different, but do you know if zinc oxide in children’s (and adult’s) natural sunscreen products is safe?
Thank you!
Bea Ann Bridges
Jacqueline
Bea Ann, In my understanding, plain zinc oxide is okay on the skin (within reason), but most in sunscreens these days is nano-zinc oxide and readily goes into the skin, so not good for that compound. ~Jacque