The European ban on titanium dioxide has redefined the rules of the game in food design.
Since E171 was banned from EU distribution channels, the confectionery and decoration industries have found themselves at a crossroads. The choice was between pursuing emergency solutions or redesigning the chemistry of their products from scratch. It was a matter of responding to a market where label transparency had become a non-negotiable requirement for consumers.
Beyond the technical challenge
For years, E171 has been the go-to additive for adding shine and perfect white coverage to colorants, sprays, gelatins, and modeling pastes.
Many have struggled precisely with the difficulty of replicating that coverage and shine on living and complex raw materials like food.
Lesepidado, with over twenty-five years of experience and a model that combines chemical-formulation research with industrial production, has chosen to transform this limitation into a development opportunity.
Research applied to the product
Through the work of its in-house Research & Development laboratory, the company has studied and standardized alternative processes that eliminate titanium dioxide.
The Vivy division’s range of food decoration solutions—from highly stable sugar pastes like the Cover, Modelling, and Exotic lines, to professional colorants and sprays—has been entirely reformulated to guarantee the same chemical, physical, and aesthetic performance as traditional formulations.
The new products maintain clear coverage and vibrant colors that remain stable over time. Most importantly, they do not undergo alterations in consistency or workability, a crucial factor for both artisanal and industrial pastry chefs.
Furthermore, the entire line ensures complete technological compatibility with the food printing systems designed by the Vivytech division.
Safety and international markets
For international business partners and distributors, choosing E171-free formulations developed with this rigor means, first and foremost, eliminating the risk of customs holdups and compliance issues.
Our facilities operate according to BRC and IFS safety standards. They include an internal HACCP plan and are registered with the FDA for export to the United States.
This scientific approach, which also extends to the creation of Azo-free, gluten-free, or natural ingredient lines, allows us to provide customers with comprehensive technical and certification documentation, essential for expediting global distribution.
Anticipating regulatory and market dynamics is part of Lesepidado’s vision. Developing clean and safe formulas is the only way to ensure that the visual excellence of food design continues to go hand in hand with maximum food safety.
Want to develop a line of custom E171-free decorations or colorants for your company? Tell us about your project!
