Skittles are not safe for human consumption: Lawsuit

Skittles are said to be not fit for human consumption, and some consumers are suing Mars Inc. because of the alleged candy's toxin content. A class action lawsuit was filed last week by Jenile Thames in a court in Oakland, California.

Thames is a resident of San Leandro in the said U.S. state, and he claimed that Skittles candies are toxic because they contain "heightened levels" of titanium dioxide. Thus, it is unfit to be consumed.

As per Fox Business, Thames filed the lawsuit at U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on Thursday. In the filing, his lawyers said that Skittles are unsafe for consumers due to the high levels of the food additive, titanium dioxide, or TiO2.

They also said that this inorganic compound is set to be banned in the European Union next month as the food safety regulator there found it dangerous due to "genotoxicity" or its capability of changing DNA.

It was further stated in the suit that titanium dioxide is also used in paint, roofing materials, adhesives, and plastics. The worst detail is that it can potentially cause DNA, brain and organ damage, plus lesions in the kidneys and liver.

Based on the reports, Mars Inc. adds titanium dioxide to create the rainbow artificial colors of the Skittles candies. This complaint was actually around since 2016, and at that time, the candy maker announced its plan to take out titanium dioxide from its products in the coming years. However, it was noted that up to this day, the company still continues to use the compound in its Skittles and other products.

"A reasonable consumer would expect that Skittles can be safely purchased and consumed as marketed and sold," part of the complaint reads. "However, the products are not safe."

The USFDA is allowing the use of titanium dioxide as an additive to color foods. However, it must not exceed one percent of the product's weight. On the other hand, the European Food Safety Authority announced in 2021 that this compound is no longer considered safe as a food additive.

In a statement to TODAY, Skittle's parent company, Mars, Inc, said via its spokesman, "While we do not comment on pending litigation, our use of titanium dioxide complies with FDA regulations."