The ingredient in question? Titanium dioxide.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a chemically inert inorganic compound and an insoluble white solid that occurs naturally in several minerals, including rutile, anatase, and brookite. It is created synthetically from the mineral ilmenite. It is an insoluble white solid. Anatase, when compared to brookite and routine, has the most industrial applications, but it is the most toxic form of TiO2.

Although the evidence for general toxic effects was not conclusive, on the basis of the new data and strengthened methods our scientists could not rule out a concern for genotoxicity and consequently they could not establish a safe level for daily intake of TiO₂ as a food additive.

For research published in 2022 study in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, scientists examined “the genotoxicity and the intracellular reactive oxygen species induction by physiologically relevant concentrations of three different TiO2 nanomaterials in Caco-2 and HT29-MTX-E12 intestinal cells, while considering the potential influence of the digestion process in the NMs’ physiochemical characteristics.” They found a “DNA-damaging effect dependent on the nanomaterial,” along with the micronucleus assay suggesting “effects on chromosomal integrity, an indicator of cancer risk, in the HT29-MTX-E12 cells, for all the tested TiO2 nanomaterials.” Researchers concluded that the results showcase “evidence of concern” regarding titanium dioxide used as a food additive.

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Although food-grade titanium dioxide must be 99 percent pure, there’s still a risk of it containing potential contaminants, such as mercury, lead and arsenic. Additionally, inhaling the mineral over time can possibly cause it to build up in your body, leading to adverse effects.

In a small study published in the European Journal of Nutrition in 2020, researchers examined the effects of several food additives, including titanium dioxide, along with artificial sweeteners and cleaning products by testing the fecal samples of 13 people. Titanium dioxide was among the samples that “induced significant shifts in microbiome community structure.”  The growth of the bacterium species belonging to C. leptum, which has been shown to decrease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease, “significantly decreased in the presence of … titanium dioxide” among other additives and sweeteners tested.

You may be taking a second look at your favorite candy after hearing this week's news about titanium dioxide. Recently, a lawsuit was filed against Mars, Inc. based on claims that the manufacturer's popular Skittles candy is unfit for human consumption. The class-action lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in mid-July, alleged that the candy contained heightened levels of a known toxin called titanium dioxide — a food additive that the company previously pledged to phase out from their products in 2016, according to the Center for Food Safety.

Fig. 8. Selected images of skin stratus treated with P25TiO₂NPs 10% (left) and VitaminB2@P25TiO₂NPs 10% (right) under light, showing no penetration of the nanoparticles (white arrows) beyond the outer stratum corneum.

For a substance that is relatively unknown to the public, it’s amazing how many everyday products TiO2 can be found in. Because of its many varied properties, our skin, cities, cars, homes, food and environment are made brighter, safer, more resilient and cleaner by TiO2. With a legacy of 100 years of safe commercial use, TiO2 is only going to become more vital as our environment faces greater challenges from a growing population.

if you compare the levels—which went as high as 50,000 milligrams/killigrams per day— to what humans are actually exposed to, we're talking orders of magnitude. It was a huge amount, Norbert Kaminski, PhD, a professor of pharmacology & toxicology and director of the Center for Research on Ingredient Safety at Michigan State University told Health.

Following the EU’s ban on E171, the FDA told the Guardian that, based on current evidence, titanium dioxide as a food additive is safe.  “The available safety studies do not demonstrate safety concerns connected to the use of titanium dioxide as a color additive.”

Breathing problems in offspring

Le Lithopone s'utilise au maximum à 10% du liant employé, sans quoi, il sera nécessaire d'utiliser des fixateurs & adjuvants.

How can I tell if a product has titanium dioxide in it? How can I avoid the ingredient?