Skittles Have Coloring Agent Unsafe for Humans, Lawsuit Says (1)

Skittles maker Mars Inc. dupes consumers by not disclosing that the brightly hued candies contain titanium dioxide, a toxic coloring ingredient, that is unfit for human consumption, according to a proposed class action filed in federal court in California.

Titanium dioxide—which is also used in paints, coatings, adhesives, plastics, printing inks, and roofing materials—can cause DNA and chromosomal damage, organ damage, inflammation, and other health effects, according to the lawsuit filed Thursday in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.

Mars has known of the mineral’s health risks and publicly committed in 2016 to phasing out titanium ...