*2.3.5. Innocuousness of TiO2*

Since the early 1960s, TiO<sup>2</sup> is considered as safe for use in food. Since this time, some authors called this fact into question [23]. In the recent re-evaluation of titanium dioxide (E171) as food additive [7], the EFSA Panel estimated that the absorption of orally administered TiO<sup>2</sup> particles, including micro- and nano-sized (less than 3.2% by mass) fractions, was negligible, reaching at most 0.02–0.1% of the administered dose. They also indicated that no adverse effect resulting from the eventual accumulation of the absorbed particles was expected, based on the results of long-term studies which did not highlight any toxicity up to the highest administered dose. The lowest value found in the literature for the no-observed adverse effect levels (NOAEL) was 2250 mg TiO<sup>2</sup> /kg bw/d.
