Titanium Dioxide E171 Food Grade is a high purity white powder. This product is odorless and absorbent, and is mainly used as a colorant in the food industry. Though it’s considered safe, some are convinced it has potentially dangerous health effects.
What Is Titanium Dioxide E171?
Titanium Dioxide E171 is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula TiO2. When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6 (PW6), or CI 77891. Generally it is sourced from ilmenite, rutile and anatase. It has a wide range of applications, from paint to sunscreen to food colouring. Titanium dioxide E171 is an inorganic dye that is used in food, soft drinks, retorted products, animal feed, cosmetics, personal care and pharmaceutical products.
Possible Side Effects of Titanium Dioxide E171
Titanium Dioxide E171 is generally considered a safe ingredient. The side effects may:
Possible short-term side effects
- moderate eye irritant
- slight nose, throat and lung irritant
- may cause slight breathing problems
- mild skin irritability
Possible long-term side effects
- possible pulmonary fibrosis
GRAS Affirmation: Yes
Generally recognized as safe (GRAS) is an American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designation that a chemical or substance added to food is considered safe by experts, and so is exempted from the usual Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) food additive tolerance requirements. Titanium Dioxide E171 is considered safe by FDA.
Suggested Dosage
NA.
Special Populations Precaution
There is a lot of concern about diet and nutrition for these population, like Newborns, children, pregnant, sensitive to Titanium Dioxide populations. Better consult to your doctor if you would like to intake Titanium Dioxide E171.
Related Research
1. Ascorbic Acid for the safe use of a sunscreen agent: accumulation of nano zinc oxide and titanium dioxide on the skin. [Sci Pharm. 2013 Jul 14] Author: Fathi-Azarbayjani A, Tan PL, Chan YY, Chan SY.
2. Characterization and preliminary toxicity assay of nano-titanium dioxide additive in sugar-coated chewing gum. [Small. 2013 May 27] Author: Chen XX, Cheng B, Yang YX, Cao A, Liu JH, Du LJ, Liu Y, Zhao Y, Wang H.
3. The effect of irradiation wavelengths and the crystal structures of titanium dioxide on the formation of singlet oxygen for bacterial killing. [J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2012 Sep] Author: Takahashi C, Tsujimoto Y, Yamamoto Y.
4. Titanium dioxide in our everyday life; is it safe? [Radiol Oncol. 2011 Dec] Author: Skocaj M, Filipic M, Petkovic J, Novak S.