# "Skittles are unsafe for consumers lawsuit charges because they contain a known toxin" ... how much do you have to eat for them to be dangerous? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 17, 2022, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070 "2022-07-17T02:25:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/1 "2022-07-17T02:25:19Z")
heres the story: > **[Skittles are 'unsafe' for consumers, lawsuit charges, because they contain 'a...](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin/ar-AAZEiOT?ocid=MSNHP_U646&pc=U646&cvid=99a8e8bdbf2f4cbcaa9c241fb7d58c63)** > > In a lawsuit seeking class-action status against the Mars company, a consumer says the use of titanium dioxide in products such as Skittles is unsafe. My question is how many pounds of skittles or M&M’s (they use the same coloring dye) would you have to eat to get “poisoned”? I would think it would take years depending on how much you ate of them every day ? Note except for the “zombie” skittles of the year before last Ive boycotted skittles because they took out the lime flavor for “Green apple” until they brought lime back ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/2 "2022-07-17T02:31:56Z")
Titanium is pretty common in processed foods. It’s often in canned clam chowder to make it look whiter. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/3 "2022-07-17T02:43:46Z")
I came across a serious issue regarding testing things for safety. Which may not relate to this directly. It depends on the testing methods. Laboratory mice have been bred in ways that actually make them unsuitable for testing. They have been accidentally bred for best profitability to produce them, which has changed them genetically to be more resistant to being killed/damaged by the things that are tested on them. It has to do with Telomere length on their genes. It may not relate to this. But it is a major issue in testing for negative effects of things in labs. Some labs have acknowledged this and taken steps, others have not. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/4 "2022-07-17T02:47:24Z")
I’m guessing that this is what this is all about, > { ~~—~~ } Although the evidence for general toxic effects was not conclusive, on the basis of the new data and strengthened methods our scientists could not rule out a concern for genotoxicity and consequently they could not establish a safe level for daily intake of TiO2 as a food additive. { ~~—~~ } > > [Titanium dioxide: E171 no longer considered safe when used as a food additive | EFSA](https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/news/titanium-dioxide-e171-no-longer-considered-safe-when-used-food-additive) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/5 "2022-07-17T02:52:17Z")
[https://echa.europa.eu/registration-dossier/-/registered-dossier/15560/7/3/1](https://echa.europa.eu/registration-dossier/-/registered-dossier/15560/7/3/1) > Acute toxicity, oral: LD50 \> 5000mg/kg bw I’m not a toxicologist, but the “\> 5000 mg/kg” mark feels like “higher than we can measure”. So, **at least** 5000 miligrams per kilogram of body weight. For a typical adult (62 kg), that’s more than 300 grams of TiO2. So, about 2/3 of a pound. I don’t think anyone eats 2/3 of a pound of Skittles at a shot, but that’s what it would take if Skittles were made from 100% titanium dioxide. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/6 "2022-07-17T03:02:38Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Skittles were made from 100% titanium dioxide. Best. Flavor. Skittle. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/7 "2022-07-17T03:02:50Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > My question is how many pounds of skittles or M&M’s (they use the same coloring dye) would you have to eat to get “poisoned”? All of them. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/8 "2022-07-17T03:20:52Z")
The sugar would get you first. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/9 "2022-07-17T03:21:21Z")
Agree. The fact that a thing is a toxin and is present in an item, is too often fastened on, before considering the actual amounts dosed in the tests. A lot of healthy plants that we eat regularly have their own anti insect and fungal compounds that in high enough amounts are toxic. Our bodies deal well with a lot of toxins in reasonable amounts. We excrete them. I do have issues with how tests are done. How the FDA interacts with submissions of data and regulating testing. But a lot of things are overblown. I do think overall that the FDA and some other public safety institutions have been too coerced. But it still remains to delve into the test methodology. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/10 "2022-07-17T03:21:51Z")
Oddly, real black licorice can be harmful at relatively low amounts if eaten often- > **[Can eating too much black liquorice be bad for you?](https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/can-eating-too-much-black-liquorice-be-bad-for-you/)** > > If you're over 40 and have a history of heart disease and/or high blood pressure, eating more than 57g (2 ounces) of black liquorice a day for at least 2 weeks could lead to potentially serious health problems. _Eating more than 57g (2 ounces) of black liquorice a day for at least 2 weeks could lead to potentially serious health problems, such as an increase in blood pressure and an [irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia).](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arrhythmia/)_ But my WAG is that you would have to eat say, a pound of skittles a day. Anyway, quite a lot. but more research is needed. Until then, I am reasonably sure that a smallish pack every so often would be fine. I would eat that much. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/11 "2022-07-17T03:26:30Z")
I imagine it is severely detrimental to your underwear. Those black licorice skid marks are not coming out. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/12 "2022-07-17T03:33:48Z")
Death by Skittles could be more easily accomplished by stuffing them up your nose. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/13 "2022-07-17T04:50:56Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I don’t think anyone eats 2/3 of a pound of Skittles at a shot, Pretty sure I gave it a good try one Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/14 "2022-07-17T06:10:43Z")
LOL!!! 😅 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/15 "2022-07-17T07:24:46Z")
Skittles are actually banned from some countries. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/16 "2022-07-17T07:28:07Z")
Obligatory XKCD cartoon. > **[Significant](https://xkcd.com/882/)** > > 'So, uh, we did the green study again and got no link. It was probably a--' 'RESEARCH CONFLICTED ON GREEN JELLY BEAN/ACNE LINK; MORE STUDY RECOMMENDED!' ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/17 "2022-07-17T16:45:18Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > > [@gnoitall](#): > > > > I don’t think anyone eats 2/3 of a pound of Skittles at a shot, > > Pretty sure I gave it a good try one Halloween. 2/3 of a pound is only a little more than 4 of the regular size packages. Not a tough feat seeing that have something even more nefarious in them: Opium. I mean, that’s got to be it, right? Why else are those little things so damn addictive? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/18 "2022-07-17T17:14:27Z")
You mean this isn’t about Skittles Pox? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wW03n1Osz5I/hqdefault.jpg "Skittles Pox Ad (Funny)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW03n1Osz5I) ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/19 "2022-07-17T19:57:30Z")
This seems like it might be relevant. [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/86/60/50/866050d685cd866fc784a2afbf997780.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/86/60/50/866050d685cd866fc784a2afbf997780.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070/20 "2022-07-17T20:14:21Z")
As-an-aside,-what-the-heck-happened-to-the-title-of-this-thread? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skittles-are-unsafe-for-consumers-lawsuit-charges-because-they-contain-a-known-toxin-how-much-do-you-have-to-eat-for-them-to-be-dangerous/968070.md?page=2)