E171

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Pishwish
Clardic Fug
Posts: 162
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 7:43 pm

E171

Post by Pishwish » Sat May 08, 2021 2:04 am

Titanium dioxide no longer considered safe as a food additive.
The study says:
However, observations of potential immunotoxicity and inflammation with E 171 and potential neurotoxicity with TiO2 NPs, together with the potential induction of aberrant crypt foci with E 171, may indicate adverse effects. With respect to genotoxicity, the Panel concluded that TiO2 particles have the potential to induce DNA strand breaks and chromosomal damage, but not gene mutations.
I have no idea if this is strong or weak evidence.

IvanV
Stummy Beige
Posts: 2657
Joined: Mon May 17, 2021 11:12 am

Re: E171

Post by IvanV » Wed May 19, 2021 6:20 pm

Titanium dioxide has many uses. It is everywhere. So I always assumed it was exceedingly safe, given we are so widely exposed to it. The main ones likely to cause substantial human exposure are:

Paint and many other coatings - practically ubiquitous
Sunscreen and other cosmetic products - extremely common in these
Toothpaste
Food colouring

I just read the French recently banned it from toothpaste and food colouring. The widespread use of it in paint, etc, means that it is part of the dust in our buildings. It also gets washed into waste-water for the same reason. The nano-particles used in sunscreen are likely to spread considerably.

Though with all these things, there is balance of advantage. Is it actually going to make any material difference to the health of the nation, to ban such a very useful substance?

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