Food additive titanium dioxide likely has more toxic effects than thought, study finds

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Fri 6 Jun 2025 07.00 EDT
Last modified on Fri 6 Jun 2025 09.43 EDT


The controversial food additive titanium dioxide likely has more toxic effects than previously thought, new peer-reviewed research shows, adding to growing evidence that unregulated nanoparticles used throughout the food system present an underestimated danger to consumers. In nanoparticle form, titanium dioxide may throw off the body’s endocrine system by disrupting hormonal response to food and dysregulating blood sugar levels, which can lead to diabetes, obesity and other health problems, the study found.

Ultra-processed foods more broadly have this effect on “food hormones”, but there isn’t a full understanding of why, and the new research may help point to an answer. “Our research highlights the detrimental effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles as potential intestinal endocrine disruptors,” the authors wrote in the peer-reviewed study led by China’s Jiaxing Nanhu University.

Titanium dioxide in nanoparticle form is used in food to brighten whites or enhance colors, and may be in as many as 11,000 US products, especially candy and snack foods. Popular products like M&Ms and Chips Ahoy! cookies contain the substance. They’re also heavily used in nonstick ceramic pans.

The EU banned titanium dioxide for food use in 2022 because previous research has shown it to likely be a neurotoxin, be an immunotoxin, cause intestinal lesions and potentially damage genes. The particles can accumulate in organs and stay in the body for years. A 2022 lawsuit drew wide attention for alleging that Skittles are “unfit for human consumption” because they contain titanium dioxide. On the heels of the study, Skittles announced it would stop using the substance, while the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has maintained that it is safe.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/06/titanium-dioxide-food-additive-toxic

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Link to PUBLICATION - Titanium dioxide nanoparticles disturb glucose homeostasis in association with impaired enteroendocrine cell differentiation

[bucolic_frolic]

1. We're finally getting to the microbiological level

TTD is in everything, or a lot of things.

[hlthe2b]

2. One of the most effective mineral sunblocks and while i'm not discounting the hormonal effect when ingested...

I hope we don't extrapolate without cause...

[DENVERPOPS]

4. Totally agree

We used Zinc Oxide at lower altitudes when mountaineering, but for high altitude winter mountaineering, it was always Titanium Oxide......

[patphil]

3. It's a bright white, opaque pigment.

I'm not a food chemist, but having worked as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry for decades, I certainly don't recommend it be used in any way that results in ingestion.
There's no way this breaks down in the body, and the potential for negative interactions with the digestive system seems to me to be a strong possibility.
It's the nanoparticle aspect of titanium dioxide that concerns me. I see the potential for it to be persistent in the body; lodging into various organs.
I'm a strong believer in maintaining food purity. Non-food substances shouldn't be used unless absolutely necessary.
Unfortunately, too many non-food additives are there for reasons like cosmetics, mouth feel, or other reasons that have nothing to do with the food itself.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Yet another reason to avoid processed food-like substances, and to cook & eat directly from basic food. . . . nt

[wolfie001]

5. Can it be smoked?

[Gore1FL]

8. Nah, but you can twist up a big titanium and smoke it to get titanium oxide! nt

[wolfie001]

15. I guess that's the chemical reaction

I was gonna try cigars when I retired but I don't wanna deal with the lingering smell. Cheers

[nowforever]

6. Luckily

Under the Trump administration investigating and science is forbidden so no more warnings it's all good.

[Martin68]

7. "What are "food hormones?" Are you referring to hormones in the body that are involved in the digestion and processing

of food?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. The poster is not the writer so skip the "you". Food hormones are hormones released in response to food intake. . . nt

[Martin68]

14. So the answer is "yes?"

[KY_EnviroGuy]

11. TiO2 is also used to whiten paper products. Possibly in food packaging?

I know it's used to provide ultra-white color properties for "slick" magazine and newsprint pages, so there's a potential for it being an additive for food packaging. I did not see that possibility mentioned in either of the articles.

I hope these organizations check for TiO2 content in fast food packaging, especially Chinese take-out containers. I believe a lot of America's food packaging product are now made overseas and probably with little or no controls.

I ran into TiO2 as an air pollution control systems field service engineer back in the 90s. The damn stuff built up on precipitator discharge electrode nail tips in a form that looked like golf balls and was almost impossible to remove!

KY

[Dave Id]

12. Toxic food additive

Where's our toxic HHS department secretary, RFK Jr when we need him? Too busy fighting vaccinations I guess.

[lonely bird]

13. TiO2 titanium dioxide

Is the primary white pigment in paint.

It appears likely anywhere something has a coating that is white or has white in it in some manner.

[quaint]

16. Why are they a problem in nonstick ceramic pans?

Last edited Fri Jun 6, 2025, 05:01 PM - Edit history (1)

I received two as gifts but I thought they were safe for cooking. Soooo disappointed.
All I found was AI gibberish claiming the cookware is safe because it's non-reactive.

[Igel]

17. The EU uses a rather different basis or decisions.

If it's not proven safe, it's no-go. Which usually translates to, "If there's any hint of risk, no!"

US: If it's not proven risky, sure, why not?

You want to swim across a pond.

Is there a hint of risk?

[LudwigPastorius]

18. Thank God it's not zinc oxide.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. Including

Grew up with that stuff!!

[NickB79]

20. We used it 20 yr ago to make cottage cheese

It makes the dressing component of the product more white (no one wants an off-white, yellowish cottage cheese). We've since removed it along with a lot of other additives in a push for a cleaner ingredient label.

We were getting new vinyl siding installed on our house, and the salesman was trying to upsell us to the premium siding, and apparently TD is used as a hardening agent in vinyl. He goes "This brand has TWICE the titanium dioxide as the other brands on the market. You know what that is?"

And I go "Yep, we add it to cottage cheese at the dairy plant I work in."

The look on his face was priceless