Scary risks with tasty snacks?
Titanium dioxide (TD) doesn’t sound like something you’d go out of your way to consume, yet this synthetic additive is found in approximately 11,000 food items sold in the US. Unfortunately, a recent university study has linked it to potentially serious health issues.
Commonly used to brighten whites and add a glossy appearance to many highly processed foods, TD was found to reduce levels of several types of critical gut hormones in mice, according to researchers from Jiaxing Nanhu University in China. This can lead to the “malfunction” of hormones responsible for appetite and blood sugar regulation.
The study’s authors wrote, "It is estimated that an average person could ingest trillions of [titanium dioxide] particles each day," and despite being banned in the European Union for possible links to DNA damage, the ingredient is added to many candies, pastries, salad dressings, and other foods in America.
A 2022 study found that TD consumption could lead to oxidative stress, resulting in cell and tissue damage, harm to the heart and kidneys, and colon cancer.
A petition was filed in 2023 to ban its use, which the FDA says it’s reviewing, but has yet to take action.
In this article from Food and Wine, you’ll learn more about the study’s findings, foods containing TD, as well as where it may be hiding in plain sight on ingredient labels.
https://www.foodandwine.com/titanium-dioxide-food-additive-health-effect...
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Serenity Township
Great post! Thanks for the info,
Slipstream
When I looked at the list, I immediately thought about M&Ms being an offender (coated chocolate). I was bummed. I'll be checking labels to see what else contains titanium dioxide” or “TiO₂." Thanks for the info.
Evangel
Skin "care" products have it. Doctors are trying to figure out why so many younger women are getting lung cancer now. It turns out that loose facial powder is loaded with titanium dioxide, and when it's applied the face it's easily inhaled. I remember a couple decades ago Dr. Oz advising women to steer from it, but no one suspected back then that it could cause cancer. Hopefully they're studying this now, but in the meantime it should be a red flag to anyone who applies makeup. So, read labels and avoid!