Is Titanium dioxide dangerous in food? Titanium dioxide is healthy according to the FDA if you are not consuming this at a high level. It is a whitening ingredient that is often used in food and cosmetics. The types of foods that are common to have titanium dioxide are gum, candies, cake decorations, chocolate foods, etc.
Is Titanium dioxide dangerous in food? iStock- photo credit: RHJ
Titanium dioxide is also added in food packaging to help elongate the life of a package on a shelf. What’s interesting is what might be safe in the U.S is not considered safe in other countries. I will give you an example the FDA considers Titanium dioxide safe, but the European Food Safety Authority, which is called the EFSA, doesn’t consider it safe and healthy.
They don’t consider it safe as a food additive because of the inflammation and toxicity it can cause. So, there are distinctive differences in how different countries view them. Studies have shown that it is important to limit inhaling Titanium dioxide dust in industries that have high dust exposure such as paper production environments.
The average adult consumes about 0.05 mg per day of Titanium dioxide and children consume about 0.08 mg per pound of bodyweight per day. And the reason for this is more with children because of their higher intake of pastries and candies as well as their small size. Most research studies have revealed that the amount of Titanium dioxide consumed from food is minimal so that is why it doesn’t pose any health risks to human beings.
The Bottom Line is Titanium dioxide is only dangerous if you consumed this directly from food at an elevated level. But other than that, it is safe according to the FDA.
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References
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