The widely used food colour E171 as a whitening agent in many products. Experiments with mice show that E171 has an impact on the metabolism of intestinal bacteria. This imbalance led to the inflammation in the colon.
By aligning the mice via the drinking water, the food colour E171 administered, found scientists at the University of Sydney, that this affects the bacteria activity in the gut and the growth of unwanted biofilms promotes. The change in the release of bacterial metabolic end-products, the balance in the intestine is disturbed, so that it came to the animals to intestinal inflammation.
Professor Wojciech Chrzanowski, an expert in nano toxicology at the University of Sydney, said: "It is well known that the diet composition affects the physiology and health, the role of food additives, however, are only insufficiently understood. This study provides crucial evidence that the consumption of food influenced the food additive E171 in the intestinal microbiota, and inflammation in the intestine."
In the case of the food additive E171 is titanium dioxide nanoparticles, which are added to foods and medicines as a whitening agent. He is, for example, in chewing gum, toothpaste, Mozzarella cheese, Mayonnaise, and a variety of Desserts. The use of E171 has increased in the last ten years and has been associated with several diseases in connection. Although it is approved for use in foods, there is yet insufficient evidence for its safety.
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