Further Concerns Over the Safety of Titanium Dioxide
2017-01-25 11:45:00
The French government has ordered a safety reassessment of white food colouring titanium dioxide after research conducted with rats concluded the additive’s ability to cross beyond the intestinal barrier and pass into the bloodstream, reaching other parts of the body. Researchers found nano-sized particles in the animals’ livers. Additionally, in the group of rats exposed to titanium dioxide each day through drinking water, four out of the eleven spontaneously developed preneoplastic legions–a non-malignant stage of carcinogenesis, while the control group of healthy rats presented no anomalies.
While this study cannot be linked to humans right now, this news out of Europe is certainly concerning. At Sensient, we are actively and quickly pursuing alternate solutions to titanium dioxide. The constant regulatory uncertainty and negative publicity of the white colorant continues to drive our innovation efforts. Last year, we launched two new generations of our TiO2-free color solution, Avalanche Xtra, to address these wavering perspectives on the acceptability of titanium dioxide.
