This study & others have lead France to ban Titanium Dioxide as a Food Additive.

The paints and coatings industry reduced their offtakes which coupled with the drop in the crude oil prices and availability of cheaper imports from the Asian market led to the fall in titanium dioxide prices. The demand decreased significantly in the fourth quarter along with the slow manufacturing due to high inflation rates keeping the price trends of the commodity in the negative zone.

Titanium dioxide is one of the many oxides formed naturally in our environment. Manufacturers source this mined mineral from rutile, brookite, and anatase. It is then processed and refined to meet stringent safety guidelines based on the end-use for the mineral. 

According to the EFSA's Expert Panel on Food Additives and Flavorings 2021 opinion regarding titanium dioxide, it could not rule out a concern for genotoxicity from ingestion of the material based on a perceived gap in data on this risk, which serves as the basis for current ban, said a March report on the decision.

It is recommended to store Titanium Dioxide in a well-maintained and dry environment, safeguarding it from exposure to elevated temperatures, open flames, or aromatic chemicals. When transporting Titanium Dioxide pigments, they are commonly packaged in paper bags weighing 25 kg (50 lb) or in large bags constructed from woven polypropylene materials.

R-996 titanium dioxide, white powder, insoluble in water, non-physiological toxicity, chemically stable, with excellent weather resistance and anti-powdering ability.

Lithopone is produced by coprecipitation of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide. Most commonly coprecipitation is effected by combining equimolar amounts of zinc sulfate and barium sulfide:

So, what does it all mean for you, the consumer? Should you stop eating Skittles or begin checking foods for the presence of titanium dioxide? Here's a closer look.

Historical references

Oil absorption g/100

Titanium is a common metal element frequently found throughout nature. In our environment, titanium is naturally exposed to oxygen, forming titanium oxides that we find in many minerals, dusts, sands, and soils.

Rebecca Capua is an assistant conservator in the Paper Conservation Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art since 2009. She received an MA in art history and an Advanced Certificate in art conservation from the Conservation Center, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University in 2007. Her primary area of research is on the materials of American artists of the late 19th and early 20th century. Address: The Sherman Fairchild Center for the Conservation of Works on Paper, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028. Email: rebecca.capua@metmuseum.org.

Furthermore, this packaging has been shown to have both antibacterial and photocatalytic activity, the latter of which reduces ultraviolet (UV) exposure (5Trusted Source, 6).

Tint reducing power, compared with standard samples

But in 2021, EFSA reevaluated titanium dioxide to consider the impacts of its nanoparticle. After considering more studies, EFSA concluded that nanoparticle-size titanium dioxide can accumulate in the body, break DNA strands and cause chromosomal damage.

The produced barium sulfide enters the leacher, and the temperature is controlled above 65°C to obtain a barium sulfide content of 70%, and then enters the clarification barrel, add zinc sulfate for reaction after clarification, control the zinc sulfate content to be greater than 28%, pH=8~9, and obtain a mixture of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide with a density of 1.296~1.357 g/cm3.

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It’s true that titanium dioxide does not rank as high for UVA protection as zinc oxide, it ends up being a small difference (think about it like being 10 years old versus 10 years and 3 months old). This is not easily understood in terms of other factors affecting how sunscreen actives perform (such as the base formula), so many, including some dermatologists, assume that zinc oxide is superior to titanium dioxide for UVA protection. When carefully formulated, titanium dioxide provides excellent UVA protection. Its UVA protection peak is lower than that of zinc oxide, but both continue to provide protection throughout the UVA range for the same amount of time.

Is Titanium Dioxide Safe?