JECFA previously assessed titanium dioxide at its 13th 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JECFA, titanium dioxide has become a public point of contention, with its ban being introduced (and then subsequently withdrawn) in California legislation in 2023, a legal battle playing out in the EU over the additive’s ban and classification as a carcinogen in 2022, and the European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.
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.
TiO2 itself was officially first named and created in a laboratory in the late 1800s. It wasn’t mass manufactured until the early 20th century, when it started to take over as a safer alternative to other white pigments.
4. Should I stop eating products that contain TiO2?

In general, nanoparticles have been shown to accumulate in the body, particularly in organs in the gastrointestinal tract, along with the liver, spleen, and capillaries of the lungs.
Health Canada's Food Directorate recently completed a “state of the science” report on titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a food additive. Food-grade TiO2 is a white powder made up of small particles that has been permitted in Canada and internationally for many years as a food additive to whiten or brighten foods. Food-grade TiO2 has long been considered safe in Canada and in other countries when eaten as part of the diet.
However, since it’s photosensitive — meaning it can stimulate free radical production — it’s usually coated in silica or alumina to prevent potential cell damage without reducing its UV-protective properties (7Trusted Source).


4. Should I stop eating products that contain TiO2?
Faber argued there hasn't been enough change in these federal regulations in the decades following the FDA's approval of titanium dioxide – especially as others increasingly point to potential health consequences.
Pigment grade titanium dioxide is produced at a much larger particle size than nano grade. It is used as a colourant to whiten and brighten product formulations. Nano grade titanium dioxide is manufactured into very fine (nano) particles and is transparent and colourless. It is commonly used in sunscreens to provide effective protection from potentially harmful UV rays.
Background and overview
Globally, Iron Oxide is the second largest inorganic pigment after Titanium Dioxide and the first largest color inorganic pigment. Iron oxide pigments mainly include iron oxide red, yellow, black and brown with iron oxide as the basic material. Iron oxide yellow, also known as hydroxyl iron oxide (FeOOH), will be dehydrated and decomposed into red at about 177 ℃, so the application of ordinary iron yellow pigment in high-temperature occasions such as plastic processing and baking coatings is limited. Iron oxide yellow pigment can improve its temperature resistance through surface coating, so as to expand the application field of iron oxide yellow pigment.
The chemical formula of iron oxide yellow (also known as hydroxyl iron) is α- Fe2O3 · H2O or α- FeOOH, with needle like structure and yellow powder, is a kind of particle size less than 0.1 μ m. Iron series pigment with good dispersibility in transparent medium has strong coloring power, high covering power, insoluble in alkali and slightly soluble in ACID. Synthetic iron oxide yellow has the characteristics of light resistance, good dispersion, non-toxic, tasteless and difficult to be absorbed by human body. It is widely used in coatings, plastics, ink and pharmaceutical industry.
Physical and chemical properties and structure
1. Iron oxide yellow pigment has acid and alkali resistance, resistance to general weak and dilute acids, and is very stable in alkaline solution of any concentration.
2. Iron oxide yellow pigment has certain light resistance, heat resistance and weather resistance. Its coating color is durable and can keep the coating from being damaged in light. Iron oxide yellow pigment is stable in a certain temperature range, but beyond the limit temperature, its color begins to change, and the degree of change is more significant with the increase of temperature. Iron oxide yellow pigment is not affected by cold, heat, dry and wet weather conditions.
3. Iron oxide yellow pigment is very stable in any ambient atmosphere (such as gases containing H 2S, Co, so 2, HCl, no, etc.). And resistant to pollution, water, oil and solvent penetration, insoluble in water, mineral oil or vegetable oil.
4. Iron oxide yellow pigment has strong coloring power and high hiding power. With the decrease of pigment particle size, its coloring power is stronger.
application
Nano iron oxide yellow has the characteristics of acid resistance, alkali resistance, non toxicity and low price. It is widely used in coatings, plastics and rubber. The particle size of nano iron yellow is less than 100 nm, which makes it have some unique characteristics. When light shines on its surface, transmission and diffraction will occur, showing transparent yellow, and can strongly absorb ultraviolet rays, Therefore, it can be used as a functional pigment for the surface paint of high-grade cars, precision instruments, bicycles, motorcycles, cosmetics, food, drugs and other coloring additives.
better
It is opaque and glossy, and provides bright whiteness with blue undertones.
It's also worth noting that even prior to the EU decision, France had already outlawed titanium dioxide in food back in January 2020.
Lithopone manufacturer: Application areas
To be added to food, this additive must achieve 99% purity. However, this leaves room for small amounts of potential contaminants like lead, arsenic, or mercury (1Trusted Source).