- Use a funnel to pour new oil into the engine through the oil filler cap. Refer to your owner's manual for the correct oil capacity.
So if you’re worried about titanium dioxide, don’t be! With current research and industry recommendations, titanium dioxide is a safe food additive. And if you want to avoid it, that’s ok too! Just don’t expect certain foods to be so white, smooth, and bright.
The European Food Safety Authority updated its safety assessment of the mineral in March 2020, stating that titanium dioxide can no longer be considered safe as a food additive. This was due to evidence of potentially harmful effects after consumption of the mineral, which may accumulate in the body over time.
- Overall, the production of lithopone in factories in China plays a crucial role in meeting the growing demand for the pigment worldwide. With their advanced technology, strict quality control measures, and strategic advantages, these factories are well-positioned to maintain their leading position in the global lithopone market for years to come.
The whole scientific experimental design in some of these studies is very flawed, Kaminski said.
- One of the most significant contributions of chemical product manufacturers is in the field of healthcare. Pharmaceutical companies develop life-saving drugs and treatments that combat diseases and improve quality of life. Without these advancements, many of us would not be able to enjoy the health and longevity that we do today.
Challenges and Innovations
Since then, there has been a few animal studies suggesting titanium dioxide is connected to cancer. A 2017 study in Scientific Reports, for instance, found that rats with titanium dioxide in their diet had impaired immune systems, which could contribute to autoimmune diseases and colorectal cancer.
Opportunities
Titanium is a metal element found naturally in the environment. When it's exposed to oxygen in the air, it forms titanium oxides that are contained in many minerals, sands, soils, and dusts.
Lithopone, also called zinc-barium white, is a very stable network molecular structure formed by the reaction of zinc sulfate and barium sulfide and calcined at high temperature. Lithopone is a white powder that is non-toxic and non-corrosive. It is insoluble in water and does not interact with hydrogen sulfide and alkali. It dissolves with acid and produces hydrogen sulfide gas.
The properties of lithopone are very suitable for use in the production of coatings. Because the ingredients of lithopone are zinc sulfide and barium sulfate, and the more zinc sulfide content, the stronger its covering power. This indicates a paint product with strong white covering power. It is different from water in that it reacts with acid but does not react with alkali. It has a wide range of uses. Because its structural properties are similar to titanium dioxide and its price is relatively cheap, it can also be used as a substitute for some titanium dioxide. Lithopone can be used for coloring paints, inks, pigments, rubber, paper, leather, enamel, etc.
Restraint
Other research suggests that E171 could cause harm; however, those research processes did not consider how people are typically exposed to E171. Research that adds E171 to drinking water, utilizes direct injections, or gives research animals E171 through a feeding apparatus is not replicating typical human exposure.
Why does the exposure route matter, and what's the risk?


Experimental



A 2023 study published in the journal Environmental Research, scientists examined the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on important gut bacteria in mice. Their results showed “the growth inhibitory effects could be associated with cell membrane damage caused by titanium dioxide nanoparticles to the bacterial strains. Metabolomics analysis showed that TiO2 NPs caused alterations in multiple metabolic pathways of gut bacteria, such as tryptophan and arginine metabolism, which were demonstrated to play crucial roles in regulating gut and host health.” The researchers also found that four different neuroprotective metabolites “were significantly reduced” in urine and in vitro bacteria and vivo urine samples. The researchers concluded: “Increasing evidence implies that the gut microbiome plays a profound role in regulating host metabolism. Our results illustrated that TiO2 NPs hindered the growth of four beneficial gut bacterial strains.”
You can find more information about EFSA’s work in the area of food additives on our website


EFSA's evaluation is related to the risks of TiO2 used as a food additive, not to other uses.
According to CCM, many enterprises, which belong to the top exporting producers of TiO2 in China, will speed up their efforts to go public. Reasons are the strong rebound of the TiO2 market in China as well as the positive view on 2017.
Titanium dioxide is a food additive that can be found in over 3,000 different products in EWG’s Food Scores database.


While IARC listed titanium dioxide as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” they also add that “there is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of titanium dioxide.” Of the four human studies that they reviewed, only one showed a potential risk for occupational workers inhaling titanium dioxide particles and lung cancer, while the other three showed no risk for cancer at all. And it’s key to note that IARC did not assess the effects of titanium dioxide found in foods.
But a chemical’s safety when it’s used externally is not always the same as when it’s ingested. Different uses of the same ingredient may cause very different health outcomes.
The global Lithopone market was valued at $169.8 million in 2019, and is projected to reach $218.6 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.30% from 2020 to 2027.