We've used titanium dioxide safely for decades. However, recently its safety was called into question. 
 
At CRIS, we've explored the safety of titanium dioxide for nearly half a decade, including conducting double-blind research to test the safety of food-grade titanium dioxide (E171). Our study shows that when exposed to food-grade titanium dioxide in normal conditions, research animals did not experience adverse health outcomes.
 
It's important to emphasize that in a National Institutes of Health study, experimental animals were exposed to titanium dioxide in amounts as high as 5% of their diet for a lifetime and showed no evidence of adverse effects. 
 
A handful of studies greatly influenced the decisions made by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Unfortunately, these studies did not consider that titanium dioxide exposure comes from food, not drinking water. Additionally, CRIS researchers could not reproduce the adverse outcomes identified by the studies through typical food ingestion. Regardless, the EFSA banned E171 as a food ingredient and for use in other capacities in the summer of 2022.
 
In 2022, the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada maintained that the scientific evidence supports that titanium dioxide (E171) is safe for humans to use and consume.

Still many experts say the body of research does not support the current health concerns being expressed about titanium dioxide.

PRINCIPALES UTILISATIONS

Blanc de Comines, 27 per cent zinc sulphide, 70.5 per cent barium sulphate, 2.5 per cent zinc carbonate.

The European Commission banned titanium dioxide as a food additive in the EU in 2022 after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) conducted an updated safety assessment of E171 and concluded the panel could not eliminate concerns about its genotoxicity. 

People eating lots of candy should be more worried about the sugar and how it can cause high blood pressure and obesity, says Westerhoff.

Earlier this year, a bill was introduced in the California legislature to ban the manufacture, sale and distribution of foods in the state containing titanium dioxide, along with four other harmful food chemicals. 

Colorectal tumors and preneoplastic lesions

The California plaintiff is apparently not the only one concerned about titanium dioxide. The European Union recently banned its use citing concerns about serious health consequences.

The photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide results in thin coatings exhibiting self-cleaning and disinfecting properties under exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Alloys are characterized by being lightweight and having very high tensile strength (even at high temperatures), high corrosion resistance, and an ability to withstand extreme temperatures and thus are used principally in aircraft, pipes for power plants, armour plating, naval ships, spacecraft, and missiles.

In addition to pigments and sunscreens, titanium dioxide is also used in the production of paper, food products, and pharmaceuticals. In the paper industry, titanium dioxide is added to paper coatings to improve brightness, smoothness, and printability. In the food industry, titanium dioxide is used as a whitening agent in products such as candies, chewing gum, and icing. In the pharmaceutical industry, titanium dioxide is used as a coloring agent in tablets and capsules.