Аsessment of the Intake of Titanium Dioxide into the Body with Food
Keywords:
E171- TiO2 adverse health effects, food supplement, food safety, mode of action, nanoscale, nanomaterial, oral exposure, review, titanium dioxide, toxicityAbstract
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used as a food additive (E171) and can be found in sauces, icing and chewing gums, as well as personal care products such as toothpaste and pharmaceutical tablets. Along with the ubiquitous presence of TiO2 and recent awareness of its potentially hazardous properties, there are concerns about its use in commercially available products.
Especially the nano-sized (<100 nm) fraction of TiO2 requires a more detailed assessment of potential adverse health effects after ingestion. A workshop organized by the Dutch Risk Assessment and Research Office (BuRO) highlighted uncertainties and gaps in knowledge regarding TiO2 absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, its distribution, potential for accumulation and induction of adverse health effects such as inflammation, DNA damage and tumor development. The purpose of this review is to identify and evaluate recent toxicological studies of dietary TiO2 and nanosized TiO2 in ex vivo, in vitro and in vivo in gastrointestinal experiments, and to postulate an adverse outcome pathway (AOP) after ingestion. In addition, this review summarizes the recommendations and results of the Bureau's 2018 expert meeting to provide input to the hazard identification and risk assessment process for TiO2 ingress.
