Lithopone Market Outlook - 2020–2027

But that depends on how titanium dioxide is being used and how you might come into contact with it. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified titanium dioxide as possibly carcinogenic to humans based on studies that showed more lung tumors in rats associated with breathing in titanium dioxide.

Lithopone

Colorectal tumors and preneoplastic lesions

Less frequently, we ingest E171 through liquids such as salad dressing, dairy products, and some artificially colored drinks. However, since E171 is insoluble, manufacturers must use other stabilizers to keep E171 suspended in liquids as an emulsion; otherwise, it will settle to the bottom. 

Yes. According to the FDA and other regulatory agencies globally, “titanium dioxide may be safely used for coloring foods”. Titanium dioxide is safe to use, and the FDA provides strict guidance on how much can be used in food. The amount of food-grade titanium dioxide that is used is extremely small; the FDA has set a limit of 1 percent titanium dioxide for food. There is currently no indication of a health risk at this level of exposure through the diet.

When used in food specifically, titanium dioxide is known as an additive called E171 and can be found in products like candy, chocolate, coffee creamer, cake decorations, chewing gum and even vitamin supplements. E171 is often used as coloring additive in foods, to lend the processed item a natural whiteness and opacity — such as in Skittles candy, where it's used as a white base to help give the candies their signature bright, colorful hue.

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.

Chinese anatase titanium dioxide has become a popular topic in the field of materials science due to its unique properties and wide range of applications. Anatase titanium dioxide is a type of titanium dioxide with the chemical formula TiO2, and is known for its high refractive index, excellent UV resistance, and good photocatalytic activity.

JECFA previously assessed titanium dioxide at its 13^th meeting, at which time the expert committee assigned a “not specified” ADI for the additive due to an absence of significant absorption and a lack of toxicological effects in the available experimental animal and human studies. Since its original evaluation by JECFA, titanium dioxide has become a public point of contention, with its ban being introduced (and then subsequently withdrawn) in California legislation in 2023, a legal battle playing out in the EU over the additive’s ban and classification as a carcinogen in 2022, and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) calling titanium dioxide unsafe. However, supporters of titanium dioxide say that claims about its dangers are founded in unreliable studies, and some recent research has supported its safety as a food additive.