china coatings titanium dioxide

The primary concern surrounding the use of TiO2 in food is its potential to be inhaled or ingested. While TiO2 is generally recognized as safe for consumption by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are some studies that suggest that it may have adverse effects on human health when consumed in large quantities over a long period of time. These studies have linked TiO2 to respiratory problems, such as inflammation and irritation, as well as potential carcinogenic effects.

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In a small study published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2020, researchers examined the effects of several food additives, including titanium dioxide, along with artificial sweeteners and cleaning products by testing the fecal samples of 13 people. Titanium dioxide was among the samples that “induced significant shifts in microbiome community structure.”  The growth of the bacterium species belonging to C. leptum, which has been shown to decrease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, “significantly decreased in the presence of … titanium dioxide” among other additives and sweeteners tested.

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