But before titanium dioxide is made into sunscreens, it is first micronized. This is a process that takes ingredients that are normally quite heavy (like titanium dioxide) and makes them both stabler and easier to spread. And when micronized, titanium dioxide doesn’t penetrate the skin. That means that you’re getting all the sun protection benefits without the risk of harming yourself.

A 2012 study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology noted that children are especially exposed to titanium dioxide because of the food that contains the food additive and is particularly marketed to children, including candy and cakes.

Titanium dioxide is added to some food packaging to preserve the shelf life of a product.

The US and Canada, however, approve the use of titanium dioxide as a food additive. Canada's recent review of titanium dioxide reconfirmed its safety and pointed out that many of the toxicity studies the EU reviewed were not relevant to the safety of titanium dioxide as a food ingredient, and that the ban is based on an abundance of caution and uncertainty.

Top 10 Chinese TiO2 exporters in 2016

Decreased Vitamin D bioaccessibility 

Risk managers at the European Commission and in EU Member States have been informed of EFSA’s conclusions and will consider appropriate action to take to ensure consumers’ protection.

Another challenge facing TiO2 industry suppliers is the increasing environmental regulations and sustainability requirements. The production of TiO2 can have environmental impacts, such as energy consumption and waste generation. Suppliers must invest in sustainable practices and technologies to minimize their environmental footprint and meet regulatory requirements.

In a 2017 study published in Scientific Reports, researchers exposed rats to human-relevant levels of E171 to examine the effects of intestinal inflammation and carcinogenesis. They saw that “a 100-day E171 treatment promoted colon microinflammation and initiated preneoplastic lesions while also fostering the growth of aberrant crypt foci in a chemically induced carcinogenesis model.” They continued: “Stimulation of immune cells isolated from Peyer’s Patches [which are clusters of lymphoid follicles found in the intestine] showed a decrease in Thelper (Th)-1 IFN-γ secretion, while splenic Th1/Th17 inflammatory responses sharply increased,” researchers wrote. “A 100-day titanium dioxide treatment promoted colon microinflammation and initiated preneoplastic lesions.” The scientists concluded: “These data should be considered for risk assessments of the susceptibility to Th17-driven autoimmune diseases and to colorectal cancer in humans exposed to TiO2 from dietary sources.”

The photocatalytic properties of TiO 2 are used in modern technologies. Photo catalysis is the acceleration of a chemical reaction under the influence of light (UV radiation, visible radiation, infrared) in the presence of a photocatalyst. Titanium white appropriately ground to the size of nanoparticles has unique photocatalytic properties and can get from rutile titanium dioxide supplier.