“Do you like Starbucks or Dunkin’ better?” is one of history’s greatest questions. But something tells me that after this news, Starbucks is going to have a whole lotta new fans.

After being informed that an ingredient used to make its powdered sugar that much brighter than its competitors’ is potentially dangerous to humans, the major coffee and doughnut retailer has decided to remove titanium dioxide from all of its stores. Fun fact: Titanium dioxide is also found in paint and sunscreen…so, while I’m no nutritionist, it doesn’t exactly sound like humans should be eating it.

Dunkin’ pulled the chemical compound (I had to google that because I haven’t taken a chemistry class since “Everybody Loves Raymond” was on primetime) at the request of As You Sow, a public interest group. Danielle Fugere, president and chief counsel of the interest group, said that the coffee chain’s decision was “groundbreaking” and that “Dunkin’ has demonstrated strong industry leadership by removing this potentially harmful ingredient from its donuts.”

While the actual negative impacts of consuming titanium dioxide are unknown, the group argued that “Asbestos, also a nanomaterial, was used before its harms were fully understood, leading to a costly health crisis.” Touché.

Look, should you freak out if you’re a Dunkin’ fan? No. Between the alcohol and the Red Bull and the Lean Cuisines, I highly doubt that the powdered sugar you ate in 2010 is going to be your downfall. Still, this is pretty cool of Dunkin’ and hopefully, it will set a precedent for other fast food retailers (looking at you, McDonald’s)..

[via CNN Money]

Image via JStone / Shutterstock