Lonza launches titanium dioxide-free capsule amid industry pressure to ban the additive

07 May 2019 --- Lonza is launching its new Vcaps Plus White Opal capsule in a bid to address the growing demand for opaque capsules that do not include titanium dioxide. By using an alternative opacifier made from calcium carbonate, the clean label capsule offers a natural semi-opaque look that masks unattractive food supplement ingredients. NutritionInsight covered the launch live from the show floor at Vitafoods Europe 2019, which is being held this week in Geneva, Switzerland.

“With four out of five supplement users citing ‘unquestionable safety’ as a key decision-making factor when purchasing supplements, Lonza has developed the Vcaps Plus White Opal capsule as a high-quality, cutting-edge solution that meets evolving consumer preferences,” says Joachim Meier, Director, Head of Sales EMEA, Lonza Consumer Health & Nutrition.

As a leader in vegetarian capsules with expertise in R&D, scale-up and the regulatory landscape, Lonza can help support supplement manufacturers in the development of innovative products with clean-label benefits, he explains. 

A controversial ingredient?
Food-grade titanium dioxide – also known as E 171 when used as a food coloring – is a common white pigment that has a long history of use in food supplement applications for its brightness and opacifying properties. The additive is widely used in candy, chewing gum, cake icing and white sauces. In cosmetic and skin care products, titanium dioxide is also used as a pigment, thickener and as an ingredient of sunscreen. However, recent scientific studies have indicated potential risks associated with the consumption of the chemical compound’s nanoparticles.Lonza are exhibiting at Vitafoods Europe 2019.

In January 2017, the National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA) published a study on the ingestion of titanium dioxide, linking it to cellular inflammation phenomena – a potential precursor of carcinogenesis. The study warned that it may pose a health risk because the nanoparticles may be able to pass through the protective walls of the lungs, liver and intestines. Other studies also suspect similar effects. 

Researchers have noted that the data is inconclusive and further research is warranted. However, these findings have led the industry to question the use of nanoparticle titanium dioxide in food-grade products. 

“We don’t want to tap into the discussion whether it is safe or not. It has been used in the supplement industry for many centuries, but we take a very consumer-focused perspective on dosage forms and created a new dosage form which is free of E171,” Dominik Mattern, Associate Director Business Development, Head of Business Development, Lonza, tells NutritionInsight at Vitafoods Europe. “This is a Holy Grail product as the industry has been looking for an alternative to E 171 for a long time.” 

Amid concerns about its safety, several EU-level civil society organizations recently joined forces to call for a ban on the use of the food additive. The demand to remove E 171 from the EU list of permitted food additives closely follows an announcement that France plans to prohibit titanium dioxide in food products from January 2020.

Synthetic ingredients are out, plant-based ingredients are in
The debate surrounding E 171 and the consequent calls for its ban are of the driving factors behind the increased clean label demand. Suppliers are increasing their capacity in a bid to match consumer needs and expectations. Dominik Mattern, Associate Director Business Development, Head of Business Development, Lonza.

Innova Market Insights reports a 13 percent CAGR in food and beverage launches with a clean label claim (Global, 2013-2017). Products with this type of positioning accounted for 29 percent of global new food and beverage launches in 2017 and the trend shows not signs of stagnating.

“The clean label trend has been around for a long time; it goes back even 10 to 15 years. But every year there is a stronger demand from industry and consumers to get cleaner and cleaner labels. Controversial ingredients are out and we are increasingly moving more toward plant-based solutions. These are typically regarded as healthier when compared to synthetic solutions. At Lonza, we have invested a lot of money to build the biggest plant-based portfolio in the industry in terms of encapsulation technology and dosage forms,” Mattern explains.

The Swiss company has launched an initiative coined “The Clean Label Alliance,” where five industry-leading companies give a helping hand to formulaters and marketers to enable the formulation of supplements free of controversial ingredients. 

The alliance has helped suppliers swap out synthetic ingredients for plant-based options and one example Mattern shares is that of magnesium stearate. This ingredient is commonly used as a lubricant in tablets and capsules, but the alliance is able to guide formulators toward a clean label option manufactured by Ribus, developed from organic rice starch.

Lonza will be showcasing its expanding portfolio of clean label food colored capsules at Vitafoods, which includes the Vcaps Plus Blue Spirulina and Purple Carrot capsules and the soon-to-be-launched Red Radish and Spicy Yellow. These “next-generation” capsules enable supplement brands to create vibrant products with a colorful appeal, while also maintaining a natural appearance and delivering improved supply chain transparency, says the company.

By Laxmi Haigh & Lucy Gunn