These nanoparticles can have different toxicological properties than their bulk counterparts, necessitating a more nuanced approach to risk assessment These nanoparticles can have different toxicological properties than their bulk counterparts, necessitating a more nuanced approach to risk assessmentniosh titanium dioxide. NIOSH has published guidelines and hazard evaluations to address potential exposure risks and promote safe handling practices.EFSA's evaluation is related to the risks of TiO2 used as a food additive, not to other uses.
TiO2 comes in many different forms. However, only a few of these forms are considered food-grade (acceptable to be added to food). Many studies that raised concern about the safety of TiO2, including the concern for genotoxicity, used forms of TiO2 that are not considered acceptable for use in food and have different properties than food-grade TiO2. Other studies did use food-grade TiO2, but took steps to break the material down into smaller particles than what would normally be found in food.