According to the EFSA's Expert Panel on Food Additives and Flavorings 2021 opinion regarding titanium dioxide, it could not rule out a concern for genotoxicity from ingestion of the material based on a perceived gap in data on this risk, which serves as the basis for current ban, said a March report on the decision.
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.[1]
Titanium dioxide has similar uses in non-food products. It is used in sunscreen as effective protection against UVA/UVB rays from the sun, which creates a physical barrier between the sun’s rays and the skin. It’s also used to whiten paint, paper, plastic, ink, rubber, and cosmetics.
Mars Wrigley, the company that makes Skittles, is being sued by a California man who claims the candy contains a known toxin that poses such a serious health risk that Skittles are unfit for human consumption.
History[edit]
Lithopone is produced by coprecipitation of barium sulfate and zinc sulfide. Most commonly coprecipitation is effected by combining equimolar amounts of zinc sulfate and barium sulfide: