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Titanium Dioxide

46 foods contain this ingredient

Coloring

This is an alphabetical list, not a ranking. Add KL+ to rank foods for your pet in the Food Finder.

About Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide is a white mineral pigment added to pet treats and some coatings purely to whiten or brighten appearance.

Titanium dioxide is an inorganic whitening/coloring agent used to give treats, chewables, coatings, and some dry foods a bright white or opaque appearance and has no nutritional value for dogs or cats. It provides no dietary benefits and has raised safety concerns (including genotoxicity findings by regulatory bodies and subsequent restrictions or bans in some jurisdictions), so many manufacturers have phased it out and pet parents may prefer products that do not list it on the label.

Derived from
processed titanium ore (inorganic mineral)
Primary role
color additive

Why it's used

Manufacturers add titanium dioxide when a treat, chew, or coating needs a uniform bright white or opaque look, typically to make a product visually appealing on the shelf. It does not contribute protein, vitamins, or any other nutrient to the diet.

Common concerns

  • EFSA re-evaluation In 2021 EFSA (the EU food-additive authority) concluded it could no longer establish an acceptable daily intake for titanium dioxide as a food additive because it could not rule out concerns about genotoxicity, and the EU subsequently banned the additive (E171) from food use in 2022.
  • Divergent US position The FDA has continued to permit titanium dioxide as an approved color additive under 21 CFR 73.575, so its regulatory status differs between the US and EU.
  • No nutritional contribution Because it is added solely for visual appearance, it serves no dietary purpose for dogs or cats.

Also relevant

Some manufacturers have already reformulated products to remove titanium dioxide, so its presence or absence varies by brand and can be checked on the ingredient label.

3 sources cited

Common Questions

What category is Titanium Dioxide?

Titanium Dioxide is categorized as a coloring ingredient in the KibbleLab database.

Is Titanium Dioxide part of an allergen group?

No allergen group is linked to Titanium Dioxide in the KibbleLab database.

Which foods contain Titanium Dioxide?

46 foods in the KibbleLab database contain Titanium Dioxide, including 9Lives, Bil-Jac, Kibbles 'n Bits.

Foods with Titanium Dioxide

Alphabetical by brand. Scores run 0 to 10, higher is better, on published veterinary science.

9Lives
Bites With Real Beef in Gravy Wet Cat Food
7.8
9Lives
Bites With Real Chicken & Fish in Gravy Wet Cat Food
8.1
9Lives
Bites With Real Chicken in Gravy Wet Cat Food
8.1
9Lives
Indoor Essentials Chicken & Salmon Flavor Dry Cat Food
6.8
9Lives
Kitten Pate With Real Ocean Fish & Tuna Wet Cat Food
8.1
9Lives
Morris' Catch Tuna & Ocean Fish Flavors Dry Cat Food
7.2
9Lives
Pate Seafood Platter Wet Cat Food
8.3
9Lives
Paté Super Supper Wet Cat Food
8.1
9Lives
Pate With Real Beef Wet Cat Food
8.1
9Lives
Pate With Real Chicken & Tuna Wet Cat Food
8.1
9Lives
Pate With Real Chicken Wet Cat Food
8.1
9Lives
Pate With Real Ocean Fish Wet Cat Food
8.3
9Lives
Plus Urinary Tract Health Dry Cat Food
7.6
9Lives
Senior Shreds Ocean Fish & Tuna Wet Cat Food
7.8
9Lives
Shreds With Real Turkey in Sauce Wet Cat Food
7.8
Bil-Jac
Gooberlicious Treat
9.3
Bil-Jac
Little Gooberlicious Treats
9.3
Kibbles 'n Bits
Bistro Oven Roasted Beef, Spring Vegetable & Apple Flavors Dry Dog Food
7.0
Kibbles 'n Bits
Mini Bits Small Breed Bistro Oven Roasted Beef, Spring Vegetable & Apple Flavors Dry Dog Food
7.2
Kibbles 'n Bits
Mini Bits Small Breed Savory Bacon & Steak Flavor Dry Dog Food
7.2
Kibbles 'n Bits
Mini Bits Small Breed Savory Beef & Chicken Flavors Dry Dog Food
7.2
Kibbles 'n Bits
Original Savory Beef & Chicken Flavors Dry Dog Food
7.2
Kibbles 'n Bits
Savory Bacon & Steak Flavor Dry Dog Food
7.2
Kibbles 'n Bits
Triple Steak Flavor Dry Dog Food
7.2

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