The common dietary supplement E171 (titanium dioxide) is no longer considered safe due to the inability to rule out its potential genotoxicity. This is stated in the updated recommendations of the European Food Safety Agency (ESFA).
ESFA announced the need for more TiO research five years ago2, in order to obtain the most reliable data on the harm / harmlessness of the compound to humans, fill the gaps in the possible effects of the compound on the reproductive system and find out the limit of permissible daily intake.
In 2021, an expert group concluded that titanium dioxide “can no longer be considered safe as a dietary supplement.”
Titanium dioxide was approved as a food coloring additive in the EU in 2008. Its function is to make food “more appealing”, usually by bleaching. TiO2 also present in paints (main use), plastics, paper, medicines, etc. World production in 2005 reached ~ 5 million tons. E171 contains no more than 50% particles <100 nanometers.
“We could not rule out genotoxicity issues after ingestion of titanium dioxide particles. Absorption is low after ingestion, but it can accumulate in the body,” explained Professor Maged Younes, Chair of the EFSA Expert Group on Food Additives and Flavors.
As the EFSA press service clarified, the new E171 assessment was carried out “in accordance with a rigorous methodology and taking into account many thousands of studies.”
The group noted that the evidence for the potential toxic effects of E171 “was inconclusive; but based on new data and enhanced testing methods, we could not rule out concerns about genotoxicity, and therefore could not establish a safe level of daily intake.”
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EFSA emphasizes: any legislative or regulatory decisions on the authorization of food additives are the responsibility of risk managers, including the European Commission and regulators of individual countries, and they only provide an expert opinion.
Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical to damage genetic material in cells. It can lead to carcinogenic effects, that is, increase the risk of developing cancer.
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