This regulation entered into force on 7 February 2022. However, the Regulation included a six-month transitional period to allow food businesses time to phase out the use of this food additive and to reformulate their products using suitable alternatives. This period will end on 7 August 2022.

TiO₂ is also used in oral pharmaceutical formulations, and the Pharmaceutical Excipients handbook considers nano-sized TiO₂ a non-irritant and non-toxic excipient. Despite the fact that TiO₂ submicron- and nano-sized particles are widely used as food and pharmaceutical additives, information on their toxicity and distribution upon oral exposure is very limited.

Alterations in gut microbiota

It doesn’t take much to imagine what they must be doing to our poor skin each day as we layer on our sunscreen, foundation, concealers, eyeshadows & lip sticks which all contain large doses of titanium dioxide.

Furthermore, lithopone is a versatile pigment that can be easily mixed with other coloring agents to create custom shades and finishes. This flexibility allows leather suppliers to meet the diverse needs of their customers and produce a wide range of leather products in different colors and styles. Whether it's a classic black leather jacket or a trendy pastel-colored purse, lithopone can be tailored to suit any design requirements.

Calcium carbonate is a naturally occurring mineral that is found in rocks and minerals such as calcite, aragonite, and limestone. It is commonly used in industries such as paint, paper, plastics, and rubber as a filler and pigment. The manufacturing process of calcium carbonate involves extracting the mineral from quarries or mines, crushing and grinding it into a fine powder, and then purifying it through various chemical processes.

Fig. 7. Lipid peroxidation measured on samples of MSSA with: A) 0.2 mg/mL P25TiO₂NPs; B) 0.02 mg/mL P25TiO₂NPs; C) 0.2 mg/mL VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs; D) VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs 0.02 mg/mL after 3 h of irradiation (red) and 6 h (blue). MDA could not be detected after 6 h of irradiation in a sample with P25TiO₂NPs. Error bars are too small to be seen in graphic and p < 0.05 between C-D and A-B.

However, humans are not exposed to E171 in drinking water at any significant quantity over a long duration, so this potential effect is irrelevant to the human experience. It’s important to understand that a potential hazard is not the same thing as an actual risk. 

Duan et al. administered 125 mg/kg BW or 250 mg/kg BW of anatase TiO₂ (5 nm) intragastrically to mice continuously for 30 days. The exposed mice lost body weight, whereas the relative liver, kidney, spleen and thymus weights increased. Particles seriously affected the haemostasis of the blood and the immune system. The decrease in the immune response could be the result of damage to the spleen, which is the largest immune organ in animals and plays an important role in the immune response. Powel et al. demonstrated that TiO₂ NPs may trigger immune reactions of the intestine after oral intake. They showed that TiO₂ NPs conjugated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide, but not TiO₂ NPs or lipopolysaccharide alone, trigger the immune response in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in isolated intestinal tissue. This indicates that TiO₂ NPs may be important mediators in overcoming normal gut-cell hyporesponsiveness to endogenous luminal molecules, which may be particularly relevant to patients with inflammatory bowel disease, which is characterized by an abnormal intestinal permeability.

In cosmetics, titanium dioxide’s properties enhance coloration and can help protect skin from damaging UVA and UVB rays.

Fig. 7. Lipid peroxidation measured on samples of MSSA with: A) 0.2 mg/mL P25TiO₂NPs; B) 0.02 mg/mL P25TiO₂NPs; C) 0.2 mg/mL VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs; D) VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs 0.02 mg/mL after 3 h of irradiation (red) and 6 h (blue). MDA could not be detected after 6 h of irradiation in a sample with P25TiO₂NPs. Error bars are too small to be seen in graphic and p < 0.05 between C-D and A-B.

Titanium dioxide is one of the most widely used white pigments, often used to add whiteness and brightness to products. It is used in the production of paints, coatings, plastics and other products to provide a white color or opacity.