The FDA continues to allow for the safe use of titanium dioxide as a color additive in foods generally according to the specifications and conditions, including that the quantity of titanium dioxide does not exceed 1% by weight of the food, the FDA said in a statement to USA TODAY.

It is suitable as an alternative to titanium dioxide when higher acid resistance is required, such as in adhesive joints and sealants. 

TiO₂ NPs appeared to be more toxic to nematode Caenorhabditis elegans than submicron-sized TiO_2.  At a concentration of 1 mg/l, 7 nm particles affected its fertility and survival rate and were more toxic than 20 nm anatase particles. Similarly, Hu et al. showed that rutile particles (10–20 nm), at concentrations above 1 g/kg soil, can be bio-accumulated in earthworms, where they induce oxidative stress, inhibit the activity of cellulase and induce DNA and mitochondrial damage.

However, since it’s photosensitive — meaning it can stimulate free radical production — it’s usually coated in silica or alumina to prevent potential cell damage without reducing its UV-protective properties (7Trusted Source).

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. 

How we’re exposed to an ingredient matters greatly in terms of our long-term health. 
  
Research shows that inhaling titanium dioxide particles in significant quantities over time can cause adverse health outcomes. Unless you work in an industrial setting, inhaling substantial amounts of titanium dioxide is highly unlikely. 

In the same year (2019), the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) also delivered an opinion on possible health effects of food additive titanium dioxide, which highlighted the importance of examining immunotoxicological effects in addition to potential reprotoxicological effects.

Why Did Europe Ban Titanium Dioxide?

Lithopone 30% applied in masterbatch has maximum purity, good opacity and reasonable light fastness.  

This article discusses the discovery of phosphorescent lithopone on watercolor drawings by American artist John La Farge dated between 1890 and 1905 and the history of lithopone in the pigment industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Despite having many desirable qualities for use in white watercolor or oil paints, the development of lithopone as an artists’ pigment was hampered by its tendency to darken in sunlight. Its availability to, and adoption by, artists remain unclear, as colormen's trade catalogs were generally not explicit in describing white pigments as containing lithopone. Further, lithopone may be mistaken for lead white during visual examination and its short-lived phosphorescence can be easily missed by the uninformed observer. Phosphorescent lithopone has been documented on only one other work-to-date: a watercolor by Van Gogh. In addition to the history of lithopone's manufacture, the article details the mechanism for its phosphorescence and its identification aided by Raman spectroscopy and spectrofluorimetry.

Lithopone is a white pigment that is commonly used in a variety of industries, including the paint, plastic, and rubber industries. With 30% of the world's lithopone factories located in China, the country plays a significant role in the production and supply of this important chemical compound.

Titanium dioxide is often used as a UV absorber and pigment in cosmetic products, such as foundations, lipsticks, creams, sunscreens and other skin care products. It helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of UV rays by blocking them, while providing a brightening effect.