Food additives containing nanoparticles induce gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and alterations in animal behavior: The unknown role of oxidative stress

Abstract

Food additives such as titanium dioxide (E171), iron oxides and hydroxides (E172), silver (E174), and gold (E175) are highly used as colorants while silicon dioxide (E551) is generally used as anticaking in ultra-processed foodstuff highly used in the Western diets. These additives contain nanosized particles (1-100 nm) and there is a rising concern since these nanoparticles could exert major adverse effects due to they are not metabolized but are accumulated in several organs. Here, we analyze the evidence of gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and the impact of microbiota on gut-brain and gut-liver axis induced by E171, E172, E174, E175 and E551 and their non-food grade nanosized counterparts after oral consumption. Although, no studies using these food additives have been performed to evaluate neurotoxicity or alterations in animal behavior, their non-food grade nanosized counterparts have been associated with stress, depression, cognitive and eating disorders as signs of animal behavior alterations. We identified that these food additives induce gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and alterations in gut microbiota and most evidence points out oxidative stress as the main mechanism of toxicity, however, the role of oxidative stress as the main mechanism needs to be explored further.

Keywords: Engineered nanomaterials; Food additives; Food-grade nanoparticles; Western diets.