The use of zinc sulfide and barium sulfate in contact with foods is permitted by the FDA (United States) and in most European countries. Some restrictions apply in France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Czechoslovakia.
Soluble zinc is toxic in large amounts, but the human body requires small quantities (10-15 mg d-1) for metabolism. Zinc sulfide is harmless in the human due to its low solubility. The acid concentration in the stomach and the rate of dissolution following ingestion are not sufficient to produce physiologically significant quantities of soluble zinc. LD50 values in the rat exceed 15 g kg-1. No cases of poisoning or chronic damage to health have been observed in the manufacture of zinc sulfide pigments.
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