Food-grade TiO2 impairs intestinal and systemic immune homeostasis in rats

A lot of food dyes contain TiO2. An interesting application of TiO2 is that it can be used to build dye sensitized solar cells.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22023080

Armed with this information a few of my classmates in undergrad and I built solar cells using tooth paste and powdered doughnuts as a source of TiO2 and anthocyanin (a dye found in raspberries) as the dye sensitizer. That's the most I've ever felt like McGyver

For anyone wondering about the connection between your digestive tract and immune system, note that while we commonly associate the immune system with the blood, the majority (by mass) of your immune system tissue is actually associated with and focused on defending your digestive tract (from bad things you may have eaten).

I wonder if this is because it's Titanium oxide or because it's nano particle.

src: http://www.lemonde.fr/sante/article/2017/01/20/alerte-sur-le...

so Mentos, chewing gum, and tooth paste may cause problems?

This is about rats, rather than humans.