Titanium dioxide food additive under review, after study finds cancer links

Please support The Sydney Morning Herald by adding us to your ad-blocker’s whitelist.

An additive commonly used in lollies, biscuits, chewing gum and sauces has been found to initiate the early stages of cancers in animals, according to a recent study.

Titanium dioxide or E171 is used by the food industry to whiten and brighten food and other consumer products, such as sunscreen and cosmetics.

Nanoparticles being used in food: report

 

 

V

Nanoparticles found in roast meat gravy. Photo: Arizona State University

In 2016 FSANZ published a review into the oral ingestion of titanium dioxide, including in nanoscale form, finding that there was not strong evidence to support claims of significant health risks.
A FSANZ spokesperson said it was aware of the recent French study and was "currently undertaking a review of its findings".

Illustration: Matt Golding  "Titanium dioxide has long been known to contain nanoparticles and these will have been present in the material used in the toxicity tests that supported approval of titanium dioxide as a food additive," he said.
"This new study needs to be considered alongside all the available evidence relating to the safety of titanium dioxide in food," he said.

FSANZ also highlighted that the study administered titanium dioxide in solution rather than in the animals' food, making it difficult to assess the hazards of the substance in food.
Friends of the Earth's emerging technology campaigner Jeremy Tager said the results of the study validated community concerns about the widespread use of titanium dioxide in food.

"Our view has been there is still a large degree of uncertainty, and we feel food shouldn't be going onto the market until its properly tested and that's not happening," he said.
"I think in any sane regulatory situation this would be an immediate ground to ask manufacturers to remove the nano from the way they manufacture these additives until the result is confirmed."

At least four food processors and retailers in France have announced their intention of removing titanium dioxide nanoparticles from their products in the near future.