(I’ve been meaning to make this point for awhile. Hopefully they’ll get easier as I go. The idea was given to me by someone I don’t like a lot, but I can’t argue it’s a fun name for a series of segments.)
This topic is, to me, rather important. A few of you might be aware of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). But how much do you really know about it? And why does it have to be contentious?
Ti02: First, what it is, if you’re not familiar. It’s used to make the “color” white and it’s used to make textures in food smoother. The way we experience it the most is in food for whiten the appearance or smooth the texture; and commonly with sunscreen. Make no mistake, you’re eating house paint pigment.
What we’re told is that the food grade is mostly not nano-particle in nature. However, that doesn’t exclude it as if there was some way to remove any possible trace of the smallest particles – far from it. In fact Duncan Donuts switches off of nano-particle TiO2 (but it’s unclear if they use larger sized or none) to please the public & investors. We typically get a 5% nano dose from all the products we consume. Nestle has also ceased production with it in the UK for candy. And France will have it eliminated entirely by 2020 from their food chain.
Now what you’re probably thinking is, “well I’m sure it’s not good for you but I don’t eat candy and donuts anyways so I’m not consuming it.” WRONG. Here’s the thing, it’s in damn near everything and you have no way to know. It might be on the label, and it may not be. If it’s under 1% of the ingredient it doesn’t have to be listed (FDA rule). Also it can be called coloring and probably many more names I’m not familiar with. Just how many things is it in??? Here’s an incomplete, compiled list;
So what are the health risks? What’s up with it? First off the size is 2-5nm, compare that to 3,000-9,000nm sized dust particles. The problem here is the human body doesn’t have any good way to remove it. They do leave, but very slowly. We’re talking about potentially so slowly that any significant amount may not leave in your life time. They have to exist with something that’s already leaving. Due to the size there are worries about accumulation that will have problematic effects. It’s already well documented that breathing them is very carcinogenic, causing lung cancer. But eating TiO2 is ok? Maybe that’s possible?
Well, except that it’s been found in mice & rats to have very negative consequences. Liver & kidney damage, increased reactive oxygen species, changed antioxidant activity, degenerating visual cortex, inflammation of the hippocampus, in males; decreased sperm motility, decreased sperm cell concentration, decreased sperm viability, and decreased testosterone.
In humans people with digestive problems such as ulcerative colitis, crohns, and chronic inflammation of the large intestine, they usually have elevated amounts of titanium dioxide in their blood and spleen.
So maybe now you’re asking the questions I often ask, why do we even risk it? It’s not required in any food, and we have ways to make things white without it. And maybe you’re on page of why I think it’s nothing short of the highest order of absolute disgust, that we allow confusingly named and unlisted ingredients. I hope the US will change on this, but for example Nestle doesn’t have any plans to remove it from their US products at this time.
The best way to avoid it currently is mostly to choose organic food, where even unlisted ingredients are banned.
(There’s a lot of information on the internet, this one is good for references to studies)
This topic is, to me, rather important. A few of you might be aware of Titanium Dioxide (TiO2). But how much do you really know about it? And why does it have to be contentious?
Ti02: First, what it is, if you’re not familiar. It’s used to make the “color” white and it’s used to make textures in food smoother. The way we experience it the most is in food for whiten the appearance or smooth the texture; and commonly with sunscreen. Make no mistake, you’re eating house paint pigment.
What we’re told is that the food grade is mostly not nano-particle in nature. However, that doesn’t exclude it as if there was some way to remove any possible trace of the smallest particles – far from it. In fact Duncan Donuts switches off of nano-particle TiO2 (but it’s unclear if they use larger sized or none) to please the public & investors. We typically get a 5% nano dose from all the products we consume. Nestle has also ceased production with it in the UK for candy. And France will have it eliminated entirely by 2020 from their food chain.
Now what you’re probably thinking is, “well I’m sure it’s not good for you but I don’t eat candy and donuts anyways so I’m not consuming it.” WRONG. Here’s the thing, it’s in damn near everything and you have no way to know. It might be on the label, and it may not be. If it’s under 1% of the ingredient it doesn’t have to be listed (FDA rule). Also it can be called coloring and probably many more names I’m not familiar with. Just how many things is it in??? Here’s an incomplete, compiled list;
- Condiments including mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish cream, and vinegar
- Salad dressings
- Nut spreads such as almond and peanut butter
- Confectionery sugar (all confectionery sugar but excluding organic in US)
- Desserts such as custard, tapioca pudding, sherbet, and sorbet
- Candy
- M&M products are very heavy with TiO2 (M&M's original, Peanut, etc)
- White candies such as Mentos (to a lesser degree than M&M’s, actually)
- Chewing gum (esp with harder white outer shell)
- Potentially any non-organic candy
- Sausages
- Energy drinks labeled as “sport,” “energy,” or “electrolyte” beverages with a water base
- Kool-Aid
- Cottage cheese, cream, and processed cheeses; fresh mozzarella
- Processed deli meats
- Canned fish products
- Dairy drinks including chocolate milk, eggnog, kefir, or whey-based drinks
- Milk that is skim, low fat, 2%, etc, naturally have some blue/yellow tint unless Ti02 is added
- Prepared foods such as potato and macaroni salad, and foods containing battered fish or poultry
- Processed snacks such as Twinkies and powdered donuts
- Although not a food, oral supplements can also contain titanium dioxide
- Nearly all medications over the counter or prescription
- And more
So what are the health risks? What’s up with it? First off the size is 2-5nm, compare that to 3,000-9,000nm sized dust particles. The problem here is the human body doesn’t have any good way to remove it. They do leave, but very slowly. We’re talking about potentially so slowly that any significant amount may not leave in your life time. They have to exist with something that’s already leaving. Due to the size there are worries about accumulation that will have problematic effects. It’s already well documented that breathing them is very carcinogenic, causing lung cancer. But eating TiO2 is ok? Maybe that’s possible?
Well, except that it’s been found in mice & rats to have very negative consequences. Liver & kidney damage, increased reactive oxygen species, changed antioxidant activity, degenerating visual cortex, inflammation of the hippocampus, in males; decreased sperm motility, decreased sperm cell concentration, decreased sperm viability, and decreased testosterone.
In humans people with digestive problems such as ulcerative colitis, crohns, and chronic inflammation of the large intestine, they usually have elevated amounts of titanium dioxide in their blood and spleen.
So maybe now you’re asking the questions I often ask, why do we even risk it? It’s not required in any food, and we have ways to make things white without it. And maybe you’re on page of why I think it’s nothing short of the highest order of absolute disgust, that we allow confusingly named and unlisted ingredients. I hope the US will change on this, but for example Nestle doesn’t have any plans to remove it from their US products at this time.
The best way to avoid it currently is mostly to choose organic food, where even unlisted ingredients are banned.
(There’s a lot of information on the internet, this one is good for references to studies)
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