Activists Push Dunkin’ Donuts to Drop Controversial Ingredient
With so many food providers/makers being pressured to make healthy product changes, it is becoming clear that 2015 is going to be the year for food reform. In one of the most recent food chain announcements, Dunkin’ Donuts says that it will soon remove a controversial ingredient from its doughnuts known as titanium dioxide.
Following pressure from advocacy groups and activists, Dunkin’ Donuts has agreed to drop the ingredient titanium dioxide from its doughnuts – the ingredient that makes the powdered sugar so white.
As reported by USA Today, Dunkin’ Donuts’ Brands chief communications officer Karen Raskopf said that the titanium dioxide is not a “nanoparticle” under the Food and Drug Adminstration’s definition, but that Dunkin’ had still agreed to stop using it. This makes it clear that the decision was made to appease the public and improve public image.
“The ingredient used in our powdered doughnuts does not meet the definition of ‘nanoparticle’ as outlined under FDA guidance,” Raskopf said. “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.”
In a second statement e-mailed to USA TODAY, Raskopf said the move was relevant to investors:
“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.”
Titanium dioxide dust has been linked by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a possible carcinogen. Peer-reviewed research available on PubMed reveals that titanium dioxide has been linked to a number of conditions including DNA damage. Through sourcing GreenMedInfo on the subject, a database which indexes available research on toxic substances and beneficial ones alike, we find that 7 pieces of peer-reviewed research has linked titanium dioxide to DNA damaging effects.
Of course Dunkin’ Donuts is just the latest chain to phase out an ingredient following consumer pressure. Mega-food corporation Nestle has recently announced that it would phase out artificial flavors and colors from some of its candy bars by 2015, while Hershey also announced that it will soon remove genetically modified ingredients from its milk chocolate and Kisses by the end of 2015.
Last year, Subway removed a “yoga mat chemical” from its bread, and McDonald’s recently announced it would stop selling chicken treated with human antibiotics.
But they are still frying the donuts in junk oil. The cream is full of preservatives and not real cream. The reasons to not eat donuts are too numerous to mention.
Well that’s true. This kind of “food” really is pretty bad. However, It’s still good news. The more of these poisonous chemicals we reduce the less these chemical companies profit and the closer we are to eradicating this non-food from our planet.
And it makes this company look that much better in the eyes of the consumer. This gives DD an advantage over its competitors which hopefully forces the competition to mend their ways. And so on and so on… until eventually the consumer finally gets what it deserves— real food.