French researchers studied how and where E171 nanoparticles enter the bloodstream, first studying the route through pigs and then in vitro with human buccal cells, for a 2023 study published in the journal Nanotoxicology. The research showed that the nanoparticles absorbed quickly through the mouth and then into the bloodstream, before damaging DNA and hindering cell regeneration.

EFSA’s scientific advice will be used by risk managers (the European Commission, Member States) to inform any decisions they take on possible regulatory actions.

In some studies, E171 was given to animals in drinking water without the stabilizers that keep E171 suspended in the liquid. Without stabilizers, E171 can settle and prevent the ingredient from combining with surrounding ingredients.

Is titanium dioxide dangerous? Has it been linked to any health issues?

The European Commission banned titanium dioxide as a food additive in the EU in 2022 after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) conducted an updated safety assessment of E171 and concluded the panel could not eliminate concerns about its genotoxicity.