Asia

3. What is EFSA saying in its 2021 opinion on the safety of titanium dioxide as a food additive?

Does It Cause Cancer?

In industrial settings, people can be exposed to titanium dioxide through inhalation. Inhalation exposure to titanium dioxide is exceedingly rare for most people. 

One of the key advantages of using anatase titanium dioxide in coatings is its superior UV resistance. This makes it ideal for outdoor applications where coatings are exposed to sunlight and other environmental factors that can degrade the finish over time. Anatase titanium dioxide helps to protect the underlying surface from UV rays, preventing fading and deterioration.

There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about titanium dioxide, which can be used as a colorant in foods. While headlines may suggest titanium dioxide is a health concern, scientific research has actually shown titanium dioxide to be safe. So what is it used for and why is it used? Read on to learn more!

Freshwater algae show low-to-moderate susceptibility to TiO₂ exposure, with more pronounced toxic effects in the presence of UV irradiation. It has also been shown that nano-sized TiO₂ is significantly more toxic to algae Pseudokirchneriella sub-capitata than submicron-sized TiO₂. Hund-Rinke and Simon  reported that UV irradiated 25 nm TiO₂ NPs are more toxic to green freshwater algae Desmodesmus subspicatus than UV irradiated 50 nm particles, which is in agreement with Hartmann et al. UV irradiated TiO₂ NPs also inactivated other algae species such as Anabaena, Microcystis, Melsoira and Chroococcus. It was demonstrated that smaller particles have a greater potential to penetrate the cell interior than submicron-sized particles and larger aggregates. Studies have shown that the amount of TiO₂ adsorbed on algal cells can be up to 2.3 times their own weight.

In a study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology in 2016, researchers investigated whether titanium dioxide exposure led to an increase in colorectal tumor creation in mice by using a colitis associated cancer model. By measuring tumor progression markers, the researchers found that mice given titanium dioxide experienced enhanced tumor formation in the distal colon.  There was also a decrease of cells that act as a protective barrier in the colon. The researchers wrote: “These results suggest that E171 could worsen pre-existent intestinal diseases.”

Still, you may wonder whether it’s safe for consumption.

Still, you may wonder whether it’s safe for consumption.

The natural barite containing more than 95% of barium sulfate is mixed with anthracite in a ratio of 3:1 (mass), and is pulverized to a diameter of about 2 cm or less to enter a reduction furnace, and the front stage of the furnace temperature is controlled by 1000 to 1200 ° C, and the latter stage is 500 to 600 ° C, the reduction furnace rotates at a speed of 80s per revolution, the reaction conversion rate is 80% to 90%, the obtained barium sulfide enters the leaching device, the control temperature is above 65 ° C, and the content of barium sulfide is 701%, and then enters the clarification. The barrel is clarified and then added with zinc sulfate to control the zinc sulfate content to be greater than 28%, and the pH is 8-9, and a mixture of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide having a density of