Dunkin' Donuts has announced that they will gradually stop using the chemical titanium dioxide in their donuts.
"The ingredient used in our powdered donuts does not meet the definition of 'nanomaterial' as outlined under FDA guidance. Nevertheless, we began testing alternative formulations for this product in 2014 and we are in the process of rolling out a solution to the system that does not contain titanium dioxide," a representative of Dunkin' Brands (the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts) told The Huffington Post.
In case you were wondering, titanium dioxide was what they used to give their powdered sugar donuts that dusty, delicious white glow. It's also found in stuff like sunscreen, paint, and makeup (weird).
“Titanium dioxide is an excellent UV-blocker,” Dr. Kenneth Porter writes on the American Cancer Society website, “but there has been some concern about its safety because in dry powder form, titanium dioxide is highly toxic when inhaled. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies the dry powder form of titanium dioxide as possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
Despite that terrifying description, the FDA deemed it “safe for use as a color in food, provided that such use meets certain requirements,” according to Chemistry World.
"Dunkin' Brands understands that investors are increasingly interested in the sustainability of the companies in which they invest. As part of our ongoing stakeholder engagement process, we recognize the importance of engaging in productive, ongoing dialogues with our investors to understand and address their concerns, as appropriate," Karen Raskopf, Dunkin' Brands chief communications officer, wrote to USA Today.
To put everyone's mind at ease, Raskopf assured customers that the "powdered donuts will look the same under the new formulation."
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