Titanium dioxide is the most widely used whitening pigment in the world and has been linked to adverse health effects, particularly genotoxicity and intestinal inflammation. It is applied as food coloring and a whitening agent to a wide variety of foods, including chewing gum, cakes, candies, breads and ice cream. 

EFSA has updated its safety assessment of the food additive titanium dioxide (E 171), following a request by the European Commission in March 2020. 

Abstract

For a mini-review published in the journal Particle and Fibre Technology in 2021, scientists wanted to evaluate whether Ti02 particles contributed to the development and/or exacerbation of irritable bowel disease, and whether they altered the four elements of intestinal barrier function: the intestinal microbiota, the immune system, the mucus layer, and the epithelium. The breakdown of these four elements can contribute to autoimmune, neurological, inflammatory, infectious, and metabolic diseases. Following their review, the researchers concluded: “Data indicate that TiO2 is able to alter the four compartments of IBF and to induce a low-grade intestinal inflammation associated or not with pre-neoplastic lesions.”