It doesn’t take much to imagine what they must be doing to our poor skin each day as we layer on our sunscreen, foundation, concealers, eyeshadows & lip sticks which all contain large doses of titanium dioxide.

In 2021, the European Food Safety Authority concluded that titanium dioxide is no longer safe in foods due to the same concerns over nanoparticles. As a result, titanium dioxide is now banned as a food additive in the EU. Although studies have shown that the absorption of ingested titanium dioxide is low, evidence suggests that titanium dioxide nanoparticles can accumulate in the body over time. Health Canada deemed it safe in 2022 but noted concerns. Unlike their European counterparts, Canadian officials did not consider studies performed with titanium dioxide nanoparticles alone. 

Ultimately, most experts advise moderation, as titanium dioxide is typically found in processed foods that come with their own health risks.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles are commonly found in a wide-range of consumer goods, including cosmetics, sunscreens, paints and colorings, ceramics, glass, textiles, construction materials, medicine, food, food packaging, and more. In Europe, cosmetic companies are required to label products that contain nanoparticles. In the U.S., companies are not.

In vitro, in the hemocytes of the marine mussel Mytilus hemocytes, suspension of TiO₂ NPs (Degussa P25, 10 μg/ml) stimulated immune and inflammatory responses, such as lysozyme release, oxidative burst and nitric oxide production. Vevers and Jha demonstrated the intrinsic genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of TiO₂ NPs on a fish-cell line derived from rainbow-trout gonadal tissue (RTG-2 cells) after 24 h of exposure to 50 μg/ml. Reeves et al. demonstrated a significant increase in the level of oxidative DNA damage in goldfish cells, and suggested that damage could not repaired by DNA repair mechanisms. Another suggestion from the mentioned study was that hydroxyl radicals are generated also in the absence of UV light. It has been shown that fish cells are generally more susceptible to toxic/oxidative injury than mammalian cells.

Oxygen Deficiency and Resistive Switching Mechanisms

Packing:

Mexican researchers sought to evaluate the effects of E171 across a span of conditions in mice, including its influence on behavior, along with the effects on the colon and liver. The research, published in 2020 in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, showed that E171 promoted anxiety and induced adenomas, or noncancerous tumors, in the colon. They also found that E171 heightened goblet cells hypertrophy and hyperplasia, which is typically seen in asthma patients and triggered by smoking or external pollutants and toxins. They also noted mucins overexpression in the mice, which can be linked to cancer cell formation. 

Lithopone, C.I. Pigment White 5, is a mixture of inorganic compounds, widely used as a white pigment powder. It is composed of a mixture of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide. These insoluble compounds blend well with organic compounds and confer opacity. It was made popular by the cheap production costs, greater coverage. Related white pigments include titanium dioxide, zinc oxide (zinc white), zinc sulfide, and white lead.

Scientists analyzed research that examined how titanium dioxide nanoparticles interact with the brain for a 2015 review published in Nanoscale Research Letters. The researchers wrote: “Once the TiO2 NPs are translocated into the central nervous system through [certain] pathways, they may accumulate in the brain regions. For their slow elimination rates, those NPs could remain in the brain zones for a long period, and the Ti contents would gradually increase with repeated exposure.” After reviewing dozens of studies, the scientists concluded: “Long-term or chronic exposure to TiO2 nanoparticles could potentially lead to the gradually increased Ti contents in the brain, which may eventually induce impairments on the neurons and glial cells and lead to CNS dysfunction as a consequence.”

Other experts say there is simply no conclusive evidence at this point that titanium dioxide is damaging to humans after ingesting. Kaminski in particular said the research studies cite health hazards that were found by using high doses of the product, which you would not normally see in food.

Titanium dioxide morning tips
1 Rutile type titanium dioxide
As of the close of last Friday, the average price of the sulfuric acid rutile titanium dioxide market assessment is 15683 yuan/ton, the domestic market mainstream negotiation reference 15200-16200 yuan/ton, the mainstream factory in hand orders are okay, coupled with the upstream raw materials expected to be strong, the new single offer to maintain a strong state, the market low price supply reduction.
According to the feedback of manufacturers, the recent mainstream factory new single price, the overall market transaction focus has moved up. On the demand side, the terminal in August is still the off-season, many downstream last month to replenish just need inventory, the current batch purchase intention is limited, the market turnover is low. From the supply side, the mainstream manufacturers still have production reduction or maintenance adjustment inventory in the off-season, and the supply side output is low. Some plastics and papermaking related downstream feedback some models have high prices. Recent titanium dioxide raw material price upward support has been enhanced, comprehensive market factors, the current titanium dioxide market into the stable price state after rising.
2 Anatase titanium dioxide
As of the close of last Friday, the average price of the domestic anatene titanium dioxide market was estimated at 13,000 yuan/ton, and the mainstream reference range for negotiation was mostly centered on 12,500-13,500 yuan/ton. The actual direct selling link price is still more reference in 13,000 yuan/ton. Some lower-priced producers offer even lower prices. On the demand side, because the current price is still relatively low, some downstream bargain purchasing. On the supply side, some manufacturers operate at low load or have maintenance plans. The comprehensive market supply and demand situation and the trend of raw material prices rise, the current market actual transaction price is stable and strong, some manufacturers of titanium diox

The FDA's Code of Federal Regulations allows for the legal, regulated use of titanium dioxide in food products, under some restrictions.

Some food products will include titanium dioxide on their nutrition label. But again, it can be hard to tell for those who don't list the ingredient.