Rainbow Candy , everyone is familiar with it. The supermarket is everywhere, and it is also a popular one among the many snacks for children. However, some time ago, American consumers filed a lawsuit against Mars' company ( Mars) in the California court, claiming that the content of titanium dioxide (E171) in the rainbow sugar it produces is too high.
What is titanium dioxide? Is it harmful to the human body? Do you still dare to eat rainbow candy? Let me talk to you today!
1, Titanium dioxide
It is reported that titanium dioxide is an additive used in pigments, adhesives and plastics. It can cause changes in the human body's DNA, and can also cause damage to the brain and other organs, and damage the liver and kidneys. The indictment shows that European food safety regulators have determined titanium dioxide is unsafe.
Titanium dioxide
Refer to Agents Classified by the IARC Monographs, Volumes 1–120,
, which is what we generally call the list of carcinogens, was published by the Cancer Research Center under the World Health Organization .
Titanium dioxide is included in it, as follows
belongs to the carcinogen on the list.
However, this carcinogenic level is average, 2B, which may cause cancer in people. As for this level, it is mainly because of limited evidence.
For example, there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals, but insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, or insufficient carcinogenicity in experimental animals, and limited carcinogenicity in humans, all belong to this level. There are currently hundreds of types of this level, such as diesel and gasoline, all of which belong to this level.
2, what harm does it have to the human body?
Titanium dioxide can change DNA, which is a bit serious! Because the serious consequence of changing DNA is carcinogenic.
Yes, although I know that some people will definitely say that there has been more changes in DNA, but in fact, because most of the cells in the human body are no longer stem cells , basically, local mutations occasionally will not spread. For example, when I do bio-information, basically every time I sequence it, there are N cells. There are many somatic cells in it, , and it changes a lot, and it is very frequent, but it will not have much impact. It is just cleared by the body after it changes.
However, carcinogenic exceptions are. Because carcinogenic causes fundamental changes in cells, cells begin to break through the body's natural restrictions on cells. They begin to proliferate wildly, bypass immunity, and eventually lead to cancer.
Because of this, DNA changes are nothing more than that, not carcinogenic, and it doesn't make much sense. Excellent mutations are meaningless to adults, and mutations that damage the cells themselves are nothing, and they will be eliminated anyway. After all, for adults, cells proliferate , so your hands will not grow infinitely.
However, cancer is something else. Then, the so-called changes in human DNA by Rainbow Candy is the cause of cancer. This ingredient is titanium dioxide.
However, don’t start panic when you see it.
3, What is the research on carcinogenicity of titanium dioxide?
In 2017, the French National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA) and partners showed that titanium dioxide can pass through the intestinal walls of animals to other parts of the body, meaning that its safety is problematic.
Subsequent multi-departmental review also found that there was no sufficient evidence to show that titanium dioxide is safe for humans ( This is a very important point. You can think about whether there is no evidence to show whether it is beneficial or harmful )
Later, European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) ruled that due to the new understanding of nanoparticle , titanium dioxide "is no longer considered a safe food additive". EU health commissioner announced plans to ban the use of titanium dioxide throughout the EU,
However, the UK does not agree, and Canada also does not agree to cancel titanium dioxide as a food additive. But more evidence has not been seen yet.Let’s summarize it. In fact, the core controversy is whether titanium dioxide causes cancer.
If so, it would be more than just rainbow candy. This thing can be called a major earthquake in the food industry. After all, titanium dioxide is used too wide. Edible titanium dioxide is titanium dioxide. This thing is widely used in colorants and whitening agents. Just think about it.
