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| Safe | 36% | 15 votes | Total: 42 votes | |
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Safe
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Add to FavoritesTitanium Dioxide is a naturally occurring substance. It has been around for as long as anyone can remember and is one of the top 50 chemicals produced today.
This chemical is used in a variety of different applications. Titanium Dioxide is both colorless and odorless. This item is used in many things because of these properties. It is found in sunscreens, cosmetics and foods.
There is a lot of controversy on whether or not this chemical is safe. But that questions lies on what you are using it for and how it enters the human body.
Inhalation
Titan ium Dioxide is not known as a carcinogen, a carcinogen is something that causes cancer. The regulatory agency in charge of compiling Material Data Safety Sheets (MSDS,) has it classified as relatively safe. However, overexposure to the dust can cause fibrosis in the lungs, but does not cause cancer.
Laboratory rats that were exposed to increased amounts of Titanium Dioxide, showed an increase in lung tumors, but were not cancerous.
However, at certain dosages or exposure it was not carcinogenic. But when the amount was increased to being extremely overexposed, it did become cancerous.
There is still controversy on whether or not inhalation to human is cancerous, because testing has not taken placed with the vast amounts that rats have been given, seeing as human life is not worth the risk. What also needs to be considered is the fact that rats are over sensitive to developing lung tumors. A factor that can mean the difference of whether or not this is true in humans also.
Consumption
But what about eating this product? Can it cause cancer even though it hasn't been shown to cause cancer from breathing it in?
The World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization have done studies, and found the mineral to be safe for human consumption. Also, the United Stated Department of Food and Drug Administration allows humans to consume it, apply it to their skin. Overall it claims that this item is safe for the public.
All studies that were done and proved adverse health effect were done based on extreme overexposure. Extreme overexposure to most things can cause some type of problem or issue.
Regardless, in these studies, it was not proven to cause cancer.
There is no reason to avoid consuming Titanium Dioxide. If there was any truth to this mineral causing cancer, it would have been found in these studies, which it was not. Just because there is speculation or rumor, does not mean that it is true. Also, just because something has an effect from breathing it in, does not mean there is an effect from eating it.
Learn more about this author, Sarah E. Sanuth.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Unsafe
The jury is still out on whether titanium dioxide is safe in food or not. Most think that it is, but I do not. When it is unsafe and questionable in so many other applications how can it be deemed safe enough to eat?
The dust from titanium dioxide clearly causes lung tumors in rats when inhaled. However, rats have highly sensitive lungs. There lungs are thought to be even more sensitive than humans. It has long been suggested that long term exposure to the dust of this compound during the manufacturing of foods is definitely not good for you. The finer the dust is, the more dangerous it is. However this pigment is used to give a brilliant white color to everything from foods to paints. And thus far, it has been given a pretty clean record for safety as far as actual consumption is concerned. The Canadian Centre for Health and Occupational Safety has classified it as a possible human carcinogenic. But again this evidence refers mainly to lung exposure, so unless you are snorting your frosty flakes, then as a consumer you are generally thought to be safe. If however, your daddy works at the frosty flakes plant and breaths this dust all day, you just might have a different opinion of how safe it is. Is our food worth sacrificing his health?
Other products that contain titanium dioxide include sun blocks. And this is another area where its use has become controversial. It is broken down much smaller for use in this product as well, which increases its potency and possibly its danger. Some suspect that it is at this smaller level it can more easily because cellular changes, and eventually cancer.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that Titanium Dioxide is ALL bad. I'm just not sold on its use in foods. Just because we can do something doesn't always mean we should. Call me crazy but I want the option of an all natural Oreo cookie with no added weird colors. What does the cream in an Oreo cookie look like before you add titanium dioxide anyway?
In some countries they have made a special mixture of titanium dioxide and concrete to pave the roads with as it helps to destroy smog. That's a great use. So long as it doesn't start breaking down one day and leave caustic dust everywhere.
In 2001 OSHA reported one of the years 20 occupational fatalities to be from inhalation of titanium dioxide. I know he wasn't eating it, but I still bet that guy doesn't think it's very safe either.
I am not sure why we use such questionable ingredients in this country. This appears to be one of the lesser evils however, at least for now. But personally, I would rather be safe than sorry.
Learn more about this author, Chris Dixon.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
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