Oral exposure to food grade titanium dioxide (E171) induces intestinal and behavioural alterations in adult mice but limited effects in young mice.

Background: Food-grade titanium dioxide (E171), a white colourant widely used in ultra-processed food products, has been banned in the European Union. However, its usage is still permitted in medicines, and in several other countries. The estimated intake of E171 in children is higher than in adults, which led us to hypothesise that E171 induces differential effects depending on age, with adult mice being the most susceptible due to age, despite the lower dose.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of oral administration of E171 on intestinal permeability, ileum, and colon histology, and how these effects impact anxious and depressive behaviour in young and adult mice of both sexes.

Methods: Young and adult mice of both sexes C57BL/6 mice received 10 mg/kg E171/3 times per week for 3 months. E171 was administered orally in water by pipetting, while control groups only received drinking water, then intestinal permeability, histology and animal behaviour were analysed.

Results: E171 showed an amorphous shape, primary particles sized below 1 µm and anatase crystalline structure. Oral administration of E171 disrupted the intestinal permeability in adult male and female mice, but no effects were observed in young mice of both sexes. E171 promoted ileal adenoma formation in half of the adult female population, moreover hyperplastic crypts, and hyperplastic goblet cells at histological level in adult mice of both sexes. The colon presented hyperplastic goblet cells, hyperchromatic nuclei, increased proliferation and DNA damage in adult mice of both sexes. The anxiety and depressive behaviour were only altered in adult mice treated with E171, but no changes were detected in young animals of both sexes.

Conclusions: Adult mice displayed higher susceptibility in all parameters analysed in this study compared to young mice of both sexes.