Titanium dioxide (E 171) is authorised as a food additive in the EU according to Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008.  

The calcined product obtained by the ordinary zinc-barium white preparation method is beaten into a slurry, which is then surface-treated with sodium silicate, aluminum sulfate or sodium aluminate and surfactant, and then filtered, washed, dried and pulverized. Can.

In a study published in 2022 in the journal Particle and Fibre Technology, researchers examined the impact of maternal exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles in newborn offspring mice. They found that “a chronic exposure to TiO2 NPs during pregnancy alters the respiratory activity of offspring, characterized by an abnormally elevated rate of breathing.” Breathing was also shown to be “significantly and abnormally accelerated,” and the ability for neural circuitry to effectively adjust breathing rates was impaired. The researchers concluded: “Our findings thus demonstrate that a maternal exposure to TiO2 NPs during pregnancy affects the normal development and operation of the respiratory centers in progeny.”

Colour

Assessment of skin penetration and biohazard in vivo

We've used titanium dioxide safely for decades. However, recently its safety was called into question. 
 
At CRIS, we've explored the safety of titanium dioxide for nearly half a decade, including conducting double-blind research to test the safety of food-grade titanium dioxide (E171). Our study shows that when exposed to food-grade titanium dioxide in normal conditions, research animals did not experience adverse health outcomes.
 
It's important to emphasize that in a National Institutes of Health study, experimental animals were exposed to titanium dioxide in amounts as high as 5% of their diet for a lifetime and showed no evidence of adverse effects. 
 
A handful of studies greatly influenced the decisions made by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Unfortunately, these studies did not consider that titanium dioxide exposure comes from food, not drinking water. Additionally, CRIS researchers could not reproduce the adverse outcomes identified by the studies through typical food ingestion. Regardless, the EFSA banned E171 as a food ingredient and for use in other capacities in the summer of 2022.
 
In 2022, the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada maintained that the scientific evidence supports that titanium dioxide (E171) is safe for humans to use and consume.

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) is considered as an inert and safe material and has been used in many applications for decades. However, with the development of nanotechnologies TiO₂ nanoparticles, with numerous novel and useful properties, are increasingly manufactured and used. Therefore increased human and environmental exposure can be expected, which has put TiO₂ nanoparticles under toxicological scrutiny. Mechanistic toxicological studies show that TiO₂ nanoparticles predominantly cause adverse effects via induction of oxidative stress resulting in cell damage, genotoxicity, inflammation, immune response etc. The extent and type of damage strongly depends on physical and chemical characteristics of TiO₂ nanoparticles, which govern their bioavailability and reactivity. Based on the experimental evidence from animal inhalation studies TiO₂ nanoparticles are classified as “possible carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as occupational carcinogen by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The studies on dermal exposure to TiO₂ nanoparticles, which is in humans substantial through the use of sunscreens, generally indicate negligible transdermal penetration; however data are needed on long-term exposure and potential adverse effects of photo-oxidation products. Although TiO₂ is permitted as an additive (E171) in food and pharmaceutical products we do not have reliable data on its absorption, distribution, excretion and toxicity on oral exposure. TiO₂ may also enter environment, and while it exerts low acute toxicity to aquatic organisms, upon long-term exposure it induces a range of sub-lethal effects.

5. Geographical Availability Depending on the location of businesses, suppliers with a good logistical network can ensure timely delivery and availability of stock. Local suppliers may also provide cost advantages compared to international counterparts due to reduced shipping fees.

Various titanium-rich minerals, including ilmenite and rutile, can serve as starting materials for the production of highly purified Titanium Dioxide. The predominant method employed in Titanium Dioxide production is the chloride process. In this process, the mineral, along with coke and chlorine, undergoes a reaction within a fluidized bed, resulting in the formation of primarily titanium tetrachloride and carbon dioxide. Subsequently, the titanium tetrachloride undergoes purification and conversion to Titanium Dioxide. Another method involves treating ilmenite with sulfuric acid to manufacture the chemical.

The global Lithopone market report provides in-depth competitive analysis as well as profiles of these major players.

The uses and applications of Titanium Dioxide may vary according to its specification. The main forms of Titanium Dioxide are dependent on particle sizes, surface treatment, and crystalline forms.

R-895:

Titanium dioxide is a white food coloring agent often used in bakery decorations, soups, broths, sauces, spreads, creamers, candy, and chewing gum.

What titanium dioxide is really emblematic of ... is the failure of FDA to look back at these old decisions and ask whether its decisions that were made in this case ... 56 years ago (in the 1966 approval) still hold up, he said.