Toxicological and hygienic assessment of titanium dioxide nanoparticles as a component of E171 food additive (review of the literature and metahanalysis)

The review focuses on exposure values, biological availability, toxic effects, and risks caused by nanoparticles of TiO2 under their oral introduction into a body as a food coloring agent or E171 food additive, or as a significant component in its structure. According to toxicological assessment performed by JECFA in 1969, TiO2 is considered to be insignificantly hazardous. However, at present experts employed by several foreign and international organizations that deal with food safety believe that the assessment should be reviewed as there are new scientific data on adverse effects produced by nano-sized TiO2 on a human body. Overall intake of TiO2 by people with food products, cosmetics (tooth pastes) and medications can vary from 0.5 to 5 mg a day; children aged 3-9 and teenagers aged 10-17 are the most exposed population groups. Despite insignificant intestinal absorption of TiO2 nano- and micro-sized particles, a lot of scientific works revealed their overall toxic effects produced on a body under oral and intragastric introduction...