The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has listed titanium dioxide as a Group 2B carcinogen — an agent that may be carcinogenic but lacks sufficient animal and human research. This has caused concern for its safety in food products (11, 12).
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TiO2 comes in many different forms. However, only a few of these forms are considered food-grade (acceptable to be added to food). Many studies that raised concern about the safety of TiO2, including the concern for genotoxicity, used forms of TiO2 that are not considered acceptable for use in food and have different properties than food-grade TiO2. Other studies did use food-grade TiO2, but took steps to break the material down into smaller particles than what would normally be found in food.
What does this court ruling mean for regulation?
titanium oxide rutile. When exposed to ultraviolet light, it can catalyze reactions that break down organic pollutants into carbon dioxide and water, thereby helping to purify air and water. This feature is utilized in self-cleaning surfaces, air purification systems, and even in the development of certain antimicrobial products.
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