COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGUL ATION (EU) 2021/2090 
of 25 November 2021
concer ning the denial of author isation of titanium dioxide as a feed additiv e for all animal species 
(Text with EEA relevance) 
THE EUR OPEAN COMMISSION,
Havi ng regar d to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Havi ng rega rd to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 Sept ember 2003 on 
additives for use in animal nutr ition (1), and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 provid es for the author isation of additives for use in animal nutr ition and for the 
grounds and procedures for granting or denying such author isation. Article 10 of that Regulation provides for the 
re-evaluation of additives author ised pursuant to Council Directive 70/524/EEC (2).
(2) Titanium dioxide was author ised without a time limit by Directive 70/524/EEC as a colourant additive (colour ing 
agents author ised for colour ing foodstuffs by Community rules) for cats and dogs. It was also author ised without a 
time limit for all animal species, with the excep tion of cats and dogs, for animal feedingstuffs under certain 
conditions. That product was subsequently entered in the Register of feed additives as an existing product, in 
accordance with Article 10(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(3) In accordance with Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, in conjunction with Article 7 thereof, an 
application was submitted for the re-evaluation of titanium dioxide as a feed additive for all animal species. The 
applicant request ed the additive to be classif ied in the additive categor y ‘sensor y additives ’ and the functional group 
‘colourants: substances that add or restore colour in feedingstuffs ’. The application was accompan ied by the 
particulars and documents required under Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(4) The European Food Safe ty Auth ority (‘the Auth ority’) noted in its opinion of 5 May 2021 (3)that it could not 
conclude on the safety of titanium dioxide for the target species, consumers and environment, given the absence of 
specifi c data related to its use as a feed additive and consider ing that the genot oxicity of particles of titanium dioxide 
could not be ruled out, raising poten tial concer ns on the safety of the additive for the targe t species (especially for 
long-living animals and reproductive animals), consumers and users. In the absence of studies with titanium 
dioxide, the Author ity could not conclude on the assessment of the effects of the additive on eyes and skin. The 
Authority further noted that titanium dioxide is potentially carcinogenic to workers if inhaled and that, as the 
genoto xicity of particles of titanium dioxide cannot be ruled out, it should be considered as an additional poten tial 
concer n to users handling the additive. The Author ity also verified the repor t on the method of analysis of the feed 
additive in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(5) The Author ity’s opinion of 5 May 2021 shows , theref ore, that it has not been established that titanium dioxide does 
not have an adverse effect on animal health, human health or the environment, when used as a feed additive in the 
functional group ‘colourants: substances that add or restore colour in feedingstuffs’.
(1)OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29.
(2)Council Directive 70/524/EEC of 23 November 1970 concer ning additives in feedingstuffs (OJ L 270, 14.12.1970, p. 1).
(3)EFSA Journal 2021;19(6):6630.EN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union L 427/160 30.11.2021  (6) The assessment of titanium dioxide thus shows that the conditions for author isation, as provi ded for in Article 5 of 
Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, are not satisfied and according ly, the author isation of titanium dioxide as a feed 
additive belonging to the functional group ‘colourants: substances that add or restore colour in feedingstuffs’ should 
be denied.
(7) Theref ore, the feed additive titanium dioxide and feed containing it should be withdra wn from the mark et as soon as 
possible. However , a limited period should be allowed for the withdrawal from the mark et of the existing stoc ks of 
those products, in order to enable operat ors to compl y properly with the withdrawa l obligation.
(8) The measures provid ed for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committ ee on 
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGUL ATION:
Article 1
Denial of author isation
The author isation of titanium dioxide (E 171) as an additive in animal nutr ition, in the additive categor y ‘sensor y additives ’ 
and in the functional group ‘colourants: substances that add or restore colour in feedingstuffs’, is denied.
Article 2
Withdra wal from the market
1. Existing stoc ks of the additive referred to in Article 1 and of premixtures containing it, shall be withdrawn from the 
mark et by 20 March 2022 .
2. Feed mater ials and compound feed whic h have been produced with the additive or the premixtures referred to in 
paragraph 1 before 20 March 2022 shall be withdrawn from the market by 20 June 2022 .
Article 3
Entr y into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day followi ng that of its publication in the Official Journal of the 
European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 25 November 2021 .
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYENEN Offi cial Jour nal of the European Union 30.11.2021 L 427/161