Small intestines may be affected by titanium oxide, says study
Posted on: 27/Feb/2017 9:27:19 AM
A new study conducted by researchers at the Binghamton University, State University of New York says that chronic exposure to a common food additive found in everything from chewing gum to bread can decrease the ability of small intestine cells to absorb nutrients and act as a barrier to pathogens. The findings were published in the journal NanoImpact.
Ingestion of the compound, known as titanium dioxide, is nearly unavoidable. It can enter the digestive system through toothpastes, as titanium dioxide is used to create abrasion needed for cleaning. The oxide is also used in some chocolates to give it a smooth texture.
Say the researchers, Titanium oxide is a common food additive and people have been eating a lot of it for a long time - don`t worry, it won`t kill you - but we were interested in some of the subtle effects, and we think people should know about them. In the study, enzyme functions were negatively affected, while inflammation signals increased. To avoid foods rich in titanium oxide nanoparticles you should avoid processed foods, and especially candy. That is where you see a lot of nanoparticles.
