Titanium Dioxide

[stscam]

There have been a number of references in recent threads to TITANIUM DIOXIDE as an ingredient in confections. There may be a lot of folks who don't know what this stuff is or how it is used in the pastry business. I'll see if I can help illuminate the topic.

According to Wikipedia, TITANIUM DIOXIDE is the oxide of the element Titanium. In powder form, TiO2 is one of the brighest materials known to man. A very pure white, the chemical is used as a pigment, and as an opacifier (i.e., it is opaque, it does not let light through) in paints - both house paint and artist's colors.

TiO2 is also used extensively in sunblocks and, more recently as a whitener in toothpastes.

P.C.'s make use of this stuff in coloring media. At our shop we mix it with cocoa butter and dry colors to make a bright, opaque "ink" for use in creating transfers on acetate. In this thread TiO2 is used as a whitener and as a chemical reaction agent. Here is another reference to it, but being used as an opacifier. This thread on making transfers also talks about it as an opaque medium.

You're not likely to find Titanium Dioxide at your local confectionary supply, or even a well stocked art store. But there is almost always TiO2 available on E-Bay (used mainly by folks making cosmetics at home). The ones that are oil soluble will work better. The cost is reasonable. And the stuff goes a long way.

In terms of mixing it, you're kind of on your own - there are no formulas that I know of. And be sure to mix it thoroughly. It the stuff doesn't completely dissolve you'll have streaks and blobs and other unwanted artifacts.

Good luck and have fun.

Cheers,

Steve

[Tepee]

Yes, I see it as an ingredient in my colour dusts. Is it safe for consumption or is it for decorative purposes only?

[SweetSide]

Just a point to note that it can be easily found in the wedding section of your local arts and crafts stores. Not to endorse any brand, but it is easily found as Wilton White White -- make those wedding cakes white. Contains Titanium Dioxide, Glycerine, and water. It's the only stuff I've found in a chain brick and mortar store.

[K8memphis]

Yes, I see it as an ingredient in my colour dusts. Is it safe for consumption or is it  for decorative purposes only?

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It is deemed safe however I doubt it. I know some folks who are horribly horribly allergic to it. I think a lot of 'safe' substances just didn't have enough of a bad effect to get noticed as un-safe. I'm holding a 9 oz bottle of Kroma Kolor airbrush white. I like to use it to paint my (brown) cake boards white--two coats

[Sebastian]

It's an FDA approved colorant, approved for safe food use (it's GRAS). Since in it's pure form it's an oxidized metal, there's zero chance for allergeic reaction (you can only be allergic to proteins). Given K8's comments above as well as the ebay material, it could well be that the material previously used really isn't of appropriate purity for food, and may have been tainted with other components (there are varying grades, ranging from pharmaceutical (the highest grade) to non food use - typically cosmetic applications don't use food grade ingredients). Many compound coatings use it, and it's the white color in all your white cocoa butters (actually, come to think of it, it's the only white color I know of in any food product...)

[K8memphis]

Ok, maybe I used the wrong word when I said allergic. My friend was sick unto death and her skin is in terrible condition, with rashes and itching and redness and swelling and very not cool stuff. She is better now that she is eliminating titanium dioxide from her diet--I mean it's in lots & lots of stuff including toothpaste.

Thalidamide was on the gras list. To me the gras list is not indicative of what's good for you. It's a list of what's not currently convincingly known to harm or maim you.

Talk to me about the ever changing formula for red food color and tell me that stuff is 'safe'. NOT! Little doses won't kill you outright, but that stuff is scary very scary.

What ebay material?

Edited April 15, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[Kerry Beal]

It's an FDA approved colorant, approved for safe food use (it's GRAS).  Since in it's pure form it's an oxidized metal, there's zero chance for allergeic reaction (you can only be allergic to proteins).  Given K8's comments above as well as the ebay material, it could well be that the material previously used really isn't of appropriate purity for food, and may have been tainted with other components (there are varying grades, ranging from pharmaceutical (the highest grade) to non food use - typically cosmetic applications don't use food grade ingredients).  Many compound coatings use it, and it's the white color in all your white cocoa butters (actually, come to think of it, it's the only white color I know of in any food product...)

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Sebastian,

I question your statement that you can only be allergic to proteins, as I see cell mediated allergic rashes to nickle all the time. Food allergies are most commonly to proteins, which is why in highly allergic families we suggest not introducing meats to babies until they are older and have a better developed gut barrier. However immune mediated allergic responses can occur to food additives and polysaccharides. I do however agree that only pharmaceutical or food grade TiO2 should cross your lips.

PCB white powder colour for chocolate would do the trick for confectionary applications, they also make water soluable.

[Patrick S]

Thalidamide was on the gras list. 

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Where did you hear that? Firstly, as I understand it GRAS exemptions are FDA exemptions for food additives and cosmetics only, and are never granted for pharmaceuticals like thalidomide, which are subject to very different regulatory requirements.

Second, the FDA refused to approve sales of the drug in the US because there were no tests for teratogenicity (birth defects). It was FDA's demands for such data in the early 60's that more of less directly led to the discovery that the drug caused birth defects. So not only was the drug not considered GRAS, it was not approved for sale in the US even as a prescription drug.

* Ironically, FDA did eventually approve thalidomide in 1998, under a restricted access system (e.g. no pregnant women), after it was found to be effective in treating some cancers.

Edited April 15, 2006 by Patrick S (log)

[Sebastian]

K8 - I'll second Patrick's comments. GRAS is only given to food substances; thalidomide would have been governed under an entirely different statuatory framework. I referenced Ebay material as the original poster noted they were finding it all over ebay, and my caution is such that if you're getting it from ebay, you may have no idea what the purity of the raw material is - it could be a form (or a purity) that isn't appropriate for food use, and may be tainted with other chemicals that are either not food safe, or are sensitizing agents, and could result in either a 'true' allergic reaction, or the sensitizer resonse your friend saw. It's been a while since i've looked at the requirements for GRAS application (not self GRAS) - but believe that you're required to test at 10x,100x, and perhaps a lvl higher than that as well for mutagenics, carcinogenics, teratogenics, and general tox levels. Of course as detection methods become more sophisticated, and analytical equipment becomes more precise, we may well discover those things we once deemed as safe may no longer be so (at a given level).

Kerry - actually, only proteins can cause allergies. Most people who believe they are allergic to something, in fact, are not - they are sensitive to it, or they have an intolerance to it. Most physicians refer broadly to the body's immune response to all these types of things as 'allergies' - which, in fact, is a misnomer most of the time. Frankly easier to simply refer to them all as allergies than to re-educate the general population about type III IgE immuno-modulated histamine responses (and frankly the marketers would have a fit - how do you fit THAT on a box of claritin??).

Generally speaking, there are 4 types of immuno responses - only one of which is a true allergic reaction. Nickel mediated responses are a variant of a type IV delayed hypersensitivity response mediated largely by T cells. Many believe that vasoactive amines, mast cells, interferons, and Langerhan's cells contribute as well (in a previous life i was a molecular biologist as well as a genetic engineer) - probably too much information, but strictly speaking, you're gonna need a protein for a true allergic reaction. I'd be more than happy to discuss in detail with you if this is something that interests you. I tend to get caught up in details that no one else cares about (ie many people who drink milk and get gas tell me they're allergic to milk - it's hard for me to let that go - if you were allergic to milk you'd need an epi pen, not lactase enzymes..)

edit - spelling error

Edited April 15, 2006 by Sebastian (log)

[K8memphis]

Thalidamide was on the gras list. 

←

Where did you hear that? Firstly, as I understand it GRAS exemptions are FDA exemptions for food additives and cosmetics only, and are never granted for pharmaceuticals like thalidomide, which are subject to very different regulatory requirements.

Second, the FDA refused to approve sales of the drug in the US because there were no tests for teratogenicity (birth defects). It was FDA's demands for such data in the early 60's that more of less directly led to the discovery that the drug caused birth defects. So not only was the drug not considered GRAS, it was not approved for sale in the US even as a prescription drug.

* Ironically, FDA did eventually approve thalidomide in 1998, under a restricted access system (e.g. no pregnant women), after it was found to be effective in treating some cancers.

←

It was as a sleep aid. I believe it is true that it made the gras list albeit momentarily--there was a lot of pressure from a lot of different places at that time about the stuff--it was not marketed or sold here but due to all the business pressure it got on the list just as the tragic horrific news of it's real effects broke on the world and became known and grieved and that Mount Vesuvius of pressure from those Doctors pushing back is what started our drug companies having to prove the effectiveness of their products. And prove that the side effects wouldn't harm us too. It was several years after that that they looked over the whole list and made sure everything on it was ok. Before that it was truly generally recognized as safe. Caveat emptor, much much more so then than now.

I can't find a list from the 60's but I remember reading that a long time ago. It was only on there a few 'minutes' like--it all kinda was happening at the same time. The extreme pressure to allow it. The extreme pressure to resist it. The tragedy of thalidomide. The new beginning of having to prove drugs safe.

[JeanneCake]

wow, thanks Sebastian, that was great. I learn so much from everyone here, and not just about pastry either!!!

[Kerry Beal]

Kerry - actually, only proteins can cause allergies.  Most people who believe they are allergic to something, in fact, are not - they are sensitive to it, or they have an intolerance to it.  Most physicians refer broadly to the body's immune response to all these types of things as 'allergies' - which, in fact, is a misnomer most of the time.  Frankly easier to simply refer to them all as allergies than to re-educate the general population about type III IgE immuno-modulated histamine responses (and frankly the marketers would have a fit - how do you fit THAT on a box of claritin??).   

Generally speaking, there are 4 types of immuno responses - only one of which is a true allergic reaction.  Nickel mediated responses are a variant of a type IV delayed hypersensitivity response mediated largely by T cells.  Many believe that vasoactive amines, mast cells, interferons, and Langerhan's cells contribute as well (in a previous life i was a molecular biologist as well as a genetic engineer) - probably too much information, but strictly speaking, you're gonna need a protein for a true allergic reaction.  I'd be more than happy to discuss in detail with you if this is something that interests you.  I tend to get caught up in details that no one else cares about (ie many people who drink milk and get gas tell me they're allergic to milk - it's hard for me to let that go - if you were allergic to milk you'd need an epi pen, not lactase enzymes..)

edit - spelling error

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Scott,

I stand corrected. I tend to lump immune responses together as 'allergy' when explaining to the general population. I do try to explain to people that gut grief does not equal allergy.

I think I'd rather talk chocolate than the minutiae of immune respose.

(However now that I know about your background in genetic engineering I'll want to pick your brain about gene therapy for angelman' s sydrome, but that's for another day.)

[K8memphis]

Maybe I read something sarcastic and didn't know it was sarcastic. Somebody stating that due to the gras list's previous more relaxed nature, thalidomide could have been placed on there. I don't know. I remember reading it forever ago.

I'm not an expert on it. And I have no trouble standing corrected with my thanks.

And food coloring is still a scary product to me. I know how it affected my kid and my friend. And that or the ingredients thereof are on the list--and that's scary too.

Edited April 15, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[Patrick S]

Maybe I read something sarcastic and didn't know it was sarcastic. Somebody stating that due to the gras list's previous more relaxed nature, thalidomide could have been placed on there. I don't know. I remember reading it forever ago.

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That's cool, I just want to be clear because there are actually a lot of myths about this drug -- thalidomide was never given a GRAS exemption by the FDA, and was never available in the US, even by prescription, until 1998. Any claims you might have read to the contrary are simply mistaken. The manufactuer's request to market the drug in the US in 1960 was denied by the FDA precisely because there was a lack of data on its teratogenicity.

[Art]

Thalidamide was on the gras list. To me the gras list is not indicative of what's good for you. It's a list of what's not currently convincingly known to harm or maim you.

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Well, Thalidamide was actually safe in one of its forms. However, like many molecules, it has both a Left handed and Right handed form. I.e., it is exactly the same molecule just that they are built as mirror images of each other. This is usually not a problem (about 3% of regular table sugar is Left handed -- and is totally undigestible and is the ultimate sugar substitute (@ $1,000/lb)). However, in the case of Thalidamide, one form stopped morning sickness while the other form is teratogenic (causing birth defects).

The root of the problem is that the Thalidomide syrum had both left and right handed forms in it. So, while it was approved by the FDA, the problem was more related to contamination rather than the morning-sickness reducing form Thalidomide itself.

-Art

[Patrick S]

So, while it was approved by the FDA, the problem was more related to contamination rather than the morning-sickness reducing form Thalidomide itself.

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Its true that the different enantiomers have different effects, but unfortunately the different enantiomers of thalidomide can be converted to each other in vivo, so even if you purify the thalidomide so that it only has the "D" or "L" form, it will still be a teratogen. As this profile for thalidomide says:

"Thalidomide is racemic — it contains both left and right handed isomers in equal amounts: one enantiomer is effective against morning sickness, and the other is teratogenic. The enantiomers are converted to each other in vivo. That is, if a human is given D-thalidomide or L-thalidomide, both isomers can be found in the serum. Hence, administering only one enantiomer will not prevent the teratogenic effect in humans."

FDA was well aware of this when they approved the drug for sale in the US, for the very first time, in 1998 (it was never available in the US prior to that). The drug as it exists today is still sold in a racemic form (equal parts "D" and "L" enantiomers), and that's why the drug is avilable only under extremely restrictive conditions (e.g. women prescribed the drug must be on redundant birth control, must have a pregnancy test before starting the drug, and must have weekly pregnancy tests for the first 4 weeks of treatment).

Edited April 16, 2006 by Patrick S (log)

[McAuliflower]

Been out of the eGullet loop lately... so forgive me for bringing this back to topic

[puttiing on my ceramicist hat]

TiO2 is also more readily found for purchase at any pottery/ceramic supply house. For Oregon that would be Georgies. Just as in paint, TiO2 is an opacifier- it also helps with the production of crystal growth in ceramic glazes.[hat off]