02/10/2019 (Agence Europe) – MEP Éric Andrieu (S&D, France) announced on Wednesday 2 October that he had submitted a request to the European Commission for an EU-wide ban on titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive. It is based on a French measure that will suspend the placing on the market of food items containing this controversial colouring on 1 January 2020, due to uncertainties about its safety. The written question to the institution asks whether Member States will decide on this measure before the end of 2019, as provided for in the EU General Regulation on Food, which the EFSA established. Mr Andrieu adds that "titanium dioxide has a purely aesthetic function in food, provides no benefit for the consumer and its impact on health is questionable". The Commission is required to reply within six weeks. (AN)