Dunkin’ Donuts said it will remove a whitener from the powdered sugar used on its doughnuts, bowing to pressure from an advocacy group that raised concerns about the additive’s environmental and health dangers.
The ingredient, titanium oxide, was found by a group called As You Sow to contain “nanomaterials,” or tiny particles that have been engineered to perform a certain function, like brightening a sweetener. Environmentalists have warned that nanomaterials could be detrimental to the environmental and possibly human health.
As You Sow had put a shareholder proposal on the proxy materials of Dunkin’ Brands, Dunkin’ Donuts parent company, to study the use and risk of nanomaterials.
As a result of the Dunkin’ Donuts’ decision to discontinue using titanium oxide, As You Sow agreed to withdraw its proposal.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.