What do you think about the news of Skittles being "unfit for human consumption"?

[Smashingdoozy]

The candy contains titanium dioxide, the use of this as a food additive has been banned in many countries. The presence of this in the body could have potential to cause genotoxicity which can change DNA leading to cancer.

[ChrisMaster69]

It is the tip of a very large iceberg.

it also shows there is no real test case one way or the other for a lot of this stuff (E numbers etc.

some of the testing I’ve seen is paid for by the manufacturer or the body behind certain made chemicals used in foods and other products.

This should be treated as if it was an airline finding a major fault and grounding it’s fleet of xx aircraft, other countries using that model automatically carry out tests and will if necessary ground their fleet until deemed safe to fly.

It is not just this E number (E171), there are others bad for you and have been in the news previously.

https://www.madeformums.com/baby/e-numbers-the-facts-you-need-to-know/

Yes some do keep food fresh or prolong it’s shelf life etc, however some are just to make it look more attractive.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-colours-and-hyperactivity/

https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-are-e-numbers-and-should-you-avoid-them-in-your-diet-43908

personally a lot should be removed or reduced, the problem is how E numbers are categorised, they include natural substances such as paprika extract (E160c)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/food/2010/08/are-e-numbers-really-bad-for-y.shtml

https://www.ivyroses.com/Define/E160c

a lot washes through the body, however I think with E171 (Titanium Dioxide) it’s how the body does not flush it all away and it potentially loiters around builds up in amount to above safe levels.

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/6585

It’s this building up within the body that really needs looked at with E numbers.

[Oigit]

I can't help but laugh at it. Because you look at how the US pretty much has the highest cancer rates in the world and the ever growing list of crap in our food that are banned in other countries due to ingredients in it potentially causing cancer. It not that hard to make a connection.

Though I don't think it's the case of a single ingredient causing cancer. It's more of a compounding effect. So when x, y, z all have different ingredients that have the potential to cause cancer it starts ratcheting up peoples likelihood of developing cancer.

But given our governments history with companies like Monsanto it's also pretty clear the government via the FDA isn't exactly doing much if not anything about it. I'm still amazed that class action lawsuits against Monsanto are due to round up causing cancer are going through. But it probably has a lot to do with the fact that the person currently in charge of the FDA doesn't have a direct connection to them. Unlike the person before who was a lawyer for Monsanto.

[Sarahplus2]

I don't like them anyway so but I love Reese's pieces.

[NathanDavis]

I asked my ex-girlfriend about this (she's a scientist) and she said that it can be found in "everything" and it has been in "everything" for decades, all kinds of colorful candy, and pastry, and sauces, gum, chocolate... pretty much everything that is sweet and with color... and also in many cosmetics, sunscreen, toothpaste and what not...

and then she pointed out something important for the lawsuit and the claim, lol
titanium dioxide is not linked to causing cancer... what the European study said is that "it cannot be ruled out it will not cause damage to the DNA" which, is a bit more tricky

so it was not deemed a carcinogenic... it was just deemed as a substance that they want to be concerned about because they cannot prove that it does not cause cancer...

[Smashingdoozy]

corporateeurope.org/.../toxic-lobbying-titanium-dioxide-label-debate-continues

[NathanDavis]

quick read on this article and yeah...

it does not prove what I said is wrong... nor does prove the claims to be accurate

good thing people do not usually snort skittles as if it were cocaine, NOT USUALLY... I bet there's people who have actually done that, lmao

[Smashingdoozy]

Think about the manufacturing though. Skittle dust Will be everywhere and factory workers will be breathing that in

[NathanDavis]

that is very true...

a lot of factory workers are already dying and/or getting very ill... whether is computers, phones, cosmetics or food additives

now the problem with that is the fact that we're not supposed to be inhaling any substance on a daily basis and workers are exposed to that exactly

[Smashingdoozy]

Probably more has to do with the piss poor working conditions of factories. They hardly ever have A/C often made to work long hours with no breaks. It's a pretty substantial problem that's come to light recently

[NathanDavis]

yeah, and added to the lack of proper regulations... factories and big companies can just get away with it, avoid sanctions which are risible anyway, and even as the issues are known, they can and keep doing it

even in countries in which there's no lack of resources to have proper working conditions as they are very VERY rich, they still won't care for it and let workers die because it benefits them as a company as long as the production improves a little percent

" Samsung has formally apologised to employees who fell sick or died after working in its factories. In the apology, Samsung president Kim Ki-nam said staff and families had "suffered" because the South Korean company had been too slow to act. "

an apology was enough...

[NYCQuestions1976]

This isn't news to me, unfortunately. I labeled Skittles unfit for human consumption years ago when they replaced "Lime" with "Green Apple" in the "original" (red) bags. The Green Apple Skittles are absolutely NASTY. The original flavor combination used to be Orange, Grape, Lemon, Lime, and Strawberry. I miss Lime Skittles. They were great with the Lemon and Orange together. Oh well.

[Smashingdoozy]

They've changed it back now I believe

[NYCQuestions1976]

Seriously? Don't toy with me. I'm in for the night because I get up early for work. Don't make me run out to the 7-11 right now. 😂

[Smashingdoozy]

mobile.twitter.com/.../1526578332782972929

[NYCQuestions1976]

I just saw other links online also. I'm leaving early this morning just to stop at the store before work. I haven't had Skittles in years.

[jshm2]

Just another frivolous lawsuit and it won't get anywhere.

Sure most American "candy" is bullshit and just flavoured sugar. But she's going to crap herself when she finds out the main ingredients in many medicines like Kalms, is titanium dioxide.

[Massageman]

If you are going to outlaw Skittles based solely on the presence of TiO2, then you would have to ban many artists' paints that uses TiO2 as a white color or an opaquefier : any white, or even any whiteish tints, and many brands of sun-block, and even snack foods, where TiO2 is used as a coloring agent (white).

[Smashingdoozy]

I don't know about you but I'm not ingesting paint. It should be banned across the board

[Massageman]

Certainly not suggesting anyone do that. But with it on the GRAS list in the U. S., it's a rather widely used colorant and opacifier, and will result in bunches of products becoming extinct- or changed quite a bit.

[blondfrog]

If they do I am gonna be so angry. I am sure those countries that banned skittles still have high cancer rates in their country. I mean there are so many things that can cause cancer. They should ban tuna as well as it has high amounts of mercury. And so many other things. If they ban skittles I am gonna riot.

[Smashingdoozy]

I don't think Skittles are banned. The ingredients are just different elsewhere

[blondfrog]

As long as the flavor doesn't change and they dont ban in then I am happy lol. IF they do I am moving to Spain or somwhere else lol.

[crmoore]

Not surprised. The food we eat is so beyond incredibly processed. And everyone knows it's horrible for us. Apparently our corporate institutions would rather use cheap, unhealthy elements to increase revenue, and apparently Americans are too careless to, well... care.

[AviatorTom]

If you ate thousands of skittles, you might start glowing or turn green or something, but in moderation, they're probably harmless. Taking too much of anything is bad for you. Drinking too much water can kill you.

[DryGermanGuy]

Most of American food is garbage quality-wise, so why should these "Shittles" be any different? Unless the majority of people refuses to buy such products, nothing will change.

[TheMajesticKing777]

Yea I heard, that's pretty wild, I guess they forgot to mention to taste the titanium dioxide when they said to taste the rainbow

[Th3ft]

Holy shite! I wonder how long that has been an issue and here we are just eating bag fulls…

[Th3ft]

Haha! That reminds me though of a summer I worked at camp just after high school. As counselors we got a free drink and a free candy something. So I did a bottle of Mountain Dew and a bag of skittles each day between 3 and 4 in the afternoon/evening. I probably gave my self cancer there in one summer.

[Smashingdoozy]

They said they would be moving to natural colors in 2016 I believe. They had 5 years to make the change but failed to do so.

[exitseven]

It makes me wonder about M&Ms. They are my fave.

[Smashingdoozy]

They do not contain it

[exitseven]

@smashingdoozyy Oh, thank God.

[Smashingdoozy]

Titanium dioxide is a white pigment so I imagine it creates the S on the Skittles.

[Smashingdoozy]

I believe the m on M&Ms is made out of a really thin rice paper

[exitseven]

you are just full of knowledge today. thanks for the info. i jsut had some m&Ms.

[Smashingdoozy]

I just remember seeing people put m&Ms in water and the m floats to the top

[slatyb]

It’s been banned as a food additive in the EU but not n the UK, Canada, or the US.

[loveslongnails]

Not surprising. Same goes for instant Ramen noodles.

[Smashingdoozy]

What about them exactly?

[loveslongnails]

www.healthline.com/nutrition/ramen-noodles#sodium

[Smashingdoozy]

Oh nothing toxic

[loveslongnails]

There's plenty of bad shit in there. Read the article.

[call_me_scar]

American, fuck yeah. Also instant mash potatoes has similar problems and are also banned in other countries

[love_conquers_lust]

No more diversity in our Skittles from here on out I guess.

[ArtemisSilver]

Yea there definitely should be a class action. They were basically feeding people paint.

[JohnK123]

All candy isn’t healthy... I’ll eat all the grape skittles!!! If u have extra skittles u don’t want send them over please

[cloud9vortex1234]

Is it the color they dye the candy that causes it to be potentially toxic?

[Smashingdoozy]

Yes. They were supposed to make the change to non artificial colours like other countries Skittles have done

[pizzalovershouse]

Wow I'm glad I dont eat them guess they should have to post causes cancer

[Wise4myage]

Ok, so which candy isn't bad for us?

Its stupid.

[Pudsmucker]

Only in America. Is FDA actually for the people or is it a profitable deal for the companies.

[Still-alive]

eh i never really ate those much to begin with

[Likes2drive]

News to me, I hardly ever ate that candy, it’s crazy what stuff they put in food

[dolemite89]

they’ll change their formula so people will buy that garbage again don’t worry 😂

[Smashingdoozy]

They were supposed to change it within 5 years from 2016 so we will see

[Smartman5]

Yes, such things are very harmful. I don't usually consume

[TallAnon]

Pretty crazy, I'll skip that from now on. I'm not messing with cancer since my dad got it.

[SaraSmith24]

I don't care, I will eat

[Wise4myage]

Exactly.

[Fireguy17]

I never liked them at all.

[KatherineJ]

I’m not surprised.

[Charliefretz329]

Well… we eat roundup and gmo foods sooo… 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Smashingdoozy]

Nothing wrong with gmo

[GoesbyAndrew]

I hate skittles anyway so it's not an issue for me

[smahala1991]

Isn't everything dangerous?

[joeldalton]

Good. I hope it sets a precedent.

[Jamie05rhs]

Most of us already knew they were trash.

[HandsomeAndBald]

bad things happen in every food

[888theGreat]

I think the green ones make you glow in the dark

[KrakenAttackin]

This sucks. I used to live Skittles.

[EnglishEuropean]

FDA on top of things as usual.

[Guardian45]

I think just about everything causes cancer!

[msc545]

Need more information about it.

[Celticwolf78]

Small amounts in candy won't hurt u

[loveslongnails]

That depends how often you eat it and how much you eat.

[PrettypleaseDY]

I agree

[panamared1]

I believe that