In a 2019 study published in the journal Nanotoxicology, researchers recreated the first phase of digestion in mice and fed them titanium dioxide, then examined whether accumulation occurred in the organs. Researchers wrote: “Significant accumulation of titanium was observed in the liver and intestine of E171-fed mice; in the latter a threefold increase in the number of TiO2 particles was also measured. Titanium accumulation in the liver was associated with necroinflammatory foci containing tissue monocytes/macrophages. Three days after the last dose, increased superoxide production and inflammation were observed in the stomach and intestine. Overall, [this] indicates that the risk for human health associated with dietary exposure to E171 needs to be carefully considered.”

In addition to pigments and sunscreens, titanium dioxide is also used in the production of paper, food products, and pharmaceuticals. In the paper industry, titanium dioxide is added to paper coatings to improve brightness, smoothness, and printability. In the food industry, titanium dioxide is used as a whitening agent in products such as candies, chewing gum, and icing. In the pharmaceutical industry, titanium dioxide is used as a coloring agent in tablets and capsules.

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2019 sought to examine the effects of titanium dioxide on intestinal inflammation. Researchers did this by feeding rats titanium dioxide nanoparticles and found that, after the course of two to three months, the animals had lower body weights and induced intestinal inflammation. The researchers also found the nanoparticles altered gut microbiota composition and aggravated chronic colitis. The rats also experienced reduced populations of CD4+T cells (which are cells that help organize immune responses by prompting other immune cells to fight infection), regulatory T cells, and white blood cells in mesenteric lymph nodes. The researchers wrote: “Dietary TiO2 nanoparticles could interfere with the balance of the immune system and dynamic of gut microbiome, which may result in low-grade intestinal inflammation and aggravated immunological response to external stimulus, thus introducing potential health risk.”

Prices increased somewhat in the Asian market during the third quarter of 2021. After a steady recovery since mid-June, its price in India fell slightly in August, pushed down by lower import prices. Titanium dioxide prices continued to rise in the Chinese domestic market, with FOB Wuhu talks for Rutile grade TiO2 settling at 3125 USD/MT for the week ending September 24th.

There are many ways we’re exposed to titanium dioxide in our everyday life. Below are the most common ways we encounter titanium dioxide. 

The FDA and certain others say titanium dioxide is safe to use in foods and personal care products. The FDA provides strict guidelines on how much can be used in food. The limit is very small: no more than 1% titanium dioxide.

On the other hand, titanium dioxide is a synthetic mineral that is produced through a chemical reaction involving the mineral ilmenite or rutile. It is used in industries such as cosmetics, paint, and sunscreen as a whitening agent and pigment. The manufacturing process of titanium dioxide involves extracting the mineral from ores, purifying it through chemical processes, and then grinding it into a fine powder.