Titanium dioxide is a natural pigment that has been used for decades as a colouring agent to make foods whiter or brighter. In Australia and New Zealand it is allowed to be added to a wide range of foods.
Titanium dioxide (TiO2 1) is used as a white pigment for food colouring and is permitted in Australia and New Zealand for use in a wide range of foods at levels consistent with Good Manufacturing Practice. Its long use as a food additive has not given rise to reports of adverse effects.
Here in Australia, there is currently no plans to remove foods containing the additive from supermarket shelves, however Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) says it's been monitoring the issue of nanotechnologies closely.
In the past few months both Canada, Australia and New Zealand, have joined the UK in approving titanium dioxide for food. But it has been banned in the EU in food, where it is referred to as E171.
In 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) investigated the safety of the white coloring agent titanium dioxide (TiO2) and concluded that the substance should not be considered safe as a food additive due to uncertainties around possible inflammation and neurotoxicity.
In its review of titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a food additive (E171) issued in September 2022, the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the statutory food safety authority under the Australian Government Health Department, confirmed that E171 is safe for human consumption.
The following acute (short-term) health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to Titanium Dioxide: ► Exposure can irritate the eyes, nose and throat. since it has been shown to cause lung cancer in animals. a carcinogen.
Research supports that applying titanium dioxide to the skin in the form of sunscreens, makeup, and other topical products does not pose any health risks. Overwhelmingly, research that's relevant to human eating patterns shows us that E171 is safe when ingested normally through foods and drugs (1,2).
Titanium dioxide is a naturally occurring odorless white powder used as a pigment in a large number of candies, including Skittles, as well as in a range of other products, such as cosmetics and even house paint.
So what products is it in? You'll find titanium dioxide on Aussie shelves in everything from certain corn chips, toothpaste, pot noodles and mayo to a swathe of confectionary faves. It's in Skittles for one, but also M&M's, Jelly Belly jelly beans and the beloved Cadbury's Humpty Dumpty Easter egg.
Large relic or old beach deposits are found as far inland as Ouyen in Victoria (Wemen, Bondi, Kulwin deposits) and southwestern New South Wales (Ginkgo, Snapper deposits). Deposits also exist in the Eucla Basin around the Great Australian Bight in South Australia and Western Australia.
Australia's reserves of titanium are found as ilmenite and rutile, and amounted to approximately 160 million metric tons and 31 million metric tons of titanium dioxide content that year, respectively.
Titanium dioxide gives some types of candy their smooth texture and bright color. It's used in Skittles, Starburst, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish and Trolli gummies.
Titanium dioxide, or E171, is commonly used as a coloring additive in food products like candy, chocolate, coffee creamer, cake decorations, chewing gum and even vitamin supplements.
It says titanium dioxide is safe on current evidence. “The available safety studies do not demonstrate safety concerns connected to the use of titanium dioxide as a color additive,” said the FDA spokesperson.
E171 is titanium dioxide, a natural colour extracted from the mineral ilmenite. It is used to make whites brighter and appears everywhere from cheese to toothpaste. The salted caramel M&M's have all of those plus E150a, E162 and E172, which all are used as colourings too.
brand tampons use titanium dioxide as pigment in the thread that attaches the string to the absorbent part of the tampon. According to the company, TiO2 represents less than 0.1% of all the ingredients they use to manufacture their tampons.
Titanium dioxide can serve several purposes in various oral care products. In some toothpastes, it is used in very small concentrations to make the color of toothpaste white, which for many consumers makes it more pleasing to use.
Research in rodents has shown that titanium dioxide consumption can impact the gut, causing changes to microbiota and inflammation, which might lead to an increased risk of colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
And because it's less irritating than UV absorbing chemicals like oxybenzone, it's often the active ingredient in sunscreens for babies and those with sensitive skin. The problem with titanium dioxide in sunscreen is that it can leave white streaks, which isn't a good look.
The use of TiO2 in cosmetics, including toothpaste, is considered safe when used as approved. For example, the EU SCCS issued an opinion on TiO2 in October 2020 confirming the safety of TiO2 in a range of cosmetic applications, including toothpaste.
Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Induce DNA Damage and Genetic Instability In vivo in Mice. Requests for reprints: Robert H. Schiestl, Department of Pathology, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, 650 Charles E.
The EU Court of Justice has annulled the regulation that classifies titanium dioxide as a carcinogenic substance in certain conditions – but this does not impact its use as a food additive, which remains prohibited in the EU.
Exposure. Titanium dioxide does not penetrate through healthy skin and poses no local or systemic risk to human health from skin exposure.