Titanium Dioxide in Food — Should You Be Concerned?

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Titanium dioxide is a whitening ingredient in foods, cosmetics, and other products. The FDA considers it safe, but high intake could be harmful.

From dyes to flavorings, many people are becoming increasingly aware of the ingredients in their food.

One of the most widely used food pigments is titanium dioxide, an odorless powder that enhances the white color or opacity of foods and over-the-counter products, including coffee creamers, candies, sunscreen, and toothpaste (1, 2).

Variations of titanium dioxide are added to enhance the whiteness of paint, plastics, and paper products, though these variations differ from the food-grade ones for things we eat (1, 2).

Still, you may wonder whether it&#;s safe for consumption.

This article reviews the uses, benefits, and safety of titanium dioxide.

Uses and benefits

Titanium dioxide has many purposes in both food and product development.

Food quality

Due to its light-scattering properties, small amounts of titanium dioxide are added to certain foods to enhance their white color or opacity (1, 3).

Most food-grade titanium dioxide is around 200&#;300 nanometers (nm) in diameter. This size allows for ideal light scattering, resulting in the best color (1).

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 (1).

The most common foods containing titanium dioxide are chewing gum, candies, pastries, chocolates, coffee creamers, and cake decorations (1, 3).

Food preservation and packaging

Titanium dioxide is added to some food packaging to preserve the shelf life of a product.

Packaging containing this additive has been shown to decrease ethylene production in fruit, thus delaying the ripening process and prolonging shelf life (4).

Furthermore, this packaging has been shown to have both antibacterial and photocatalytic activity, the latter of which reduces ultraviolet (UV) exposure (5, 6).

Cosmetics

Titanium dioxide is widely used as a color-enhancer in cosmetic and over-the-counter products like lipsticks, sunscreens, toothpaste, creams, and powders. It&#;s usually found as nano-titanium dioxide, which is much smaller than the food-grade version (7).

It&#;s particularly useful in sunscreen as it has impressive UV resistance and helps block the sun&#;s UVA and UVB rays from reaching your skin (6).

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 (7).

Although cosmetics are not meant for consumption, there are concerns that titanium dioxide in lipstick and toothpaste may be swallowed or absorbed through the skin.

Summary

Due to its excellent light-reflecting abilities, titanium dioxide is used in many food and cosmetic products to improve their white color and block ultraviolet rays.

Risks

In recent decades, concerns for the risks of titanium dioxide consumption have grown.

Group 2B carcinogen

Though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes titanium dioxide as Generally Recognized as Safe (8), other organizations have issued warnings.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that titanium oxide should not be considered safe as a food additive, due to uncertainties about possible inflammation and neurotoxicity (9).

The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) warns against sprayable products and powders that may expose users&#; lungs to titanium dioxide through inhalation (10).

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has listed titanium dioxide as a Group 2B carcinogen &#; an agent that may be carcinogenic but lacks sufficient animal and human research. This has caused concern for its safety in food products (11, 12).

This classification was given, as some animal studies found that inhaling titanium dioxide dust might cause the development of lung tumors. However, IARC concluded that food products containing this additive do not pose this risk (11).

Therefore, today, they only recommend limiting titanium dioxide inhalation in industries with high dust exposure, such as paper production (11).

Absorption

There is some concern regarding skin and intestinal absorption of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, which are less than 100 nm in diameter.

Some small test-tube research has shown that these nanoparticles are absorbed by intestinal cells and may lead to oxidative stress and cancer growth. However, other research has found limited to no effects (13, 14, 15).

Moreover, a study noted that food-grade titanium dioxide was larger and not nanoparticles. Hence, the authors concluded that any titanium dioxide in food is absorbed poorly, posing no risk to human health (3).

Finally, research has shown that titanium dioxide nanoparticles do not pass the first layer of the skin &#; the stratum corneum &#; and are not carcinogenic (7, 15).

Organ accumulation

Some research in rats has observed titanium dioxide accumulation in the liver, spleen, and kidneys. That said, most studies use doses higher than what you would typically consume, making it difficult to know if these effects would happen in humans (16).

A review by the European Food Safety Authority concluded that titanium dioxide absorption is extremely low and any absorbed particles are mostly excreted through feces (17).

However, they did find that minor levels of 0.01% were absorbed by immune cells &#; known as gut-associated lymphoid tissue &#; and may be delivered to other organs. Currently, it&#;s unknown how this may affect human health (17).

Although most studies to date show no harmful effects of titanium dioxide consumption, few long-term human studies are available. Therefore, more research is needed to better understand its role in human health (16, 18).

Summary

Titanium dioxide is classified as a Group 2B carcinogen as animal studies have linked its inhalation to lung tumor development. However, no research has shown that titanium dioxide in food harms your health.

Toxicity

In the United States, products can contain no more than 1% titanium dioxide in weight, and due to its excellent light-scattering abilities, food manufacturers only need to use small amounts to achieve desirable results (1).

Children under 10 years old consume the most of this additive, with an average of 0.08 mg per pound (0.18 mg per kg) of body weight per day.

Comparatively, the average adult consumes around 0.05 mg per pound (0.1 mg per kg) per day, although these numbers vary (1, 17).

This is due to the higher intake of pastries and candies by children, as well as their small body size (1).

Due to the limited research available, there is no Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) for titanium dioxide. However, an in-depth review by the European Food Safety Authority found no adverse effects in rats that consumed 1,023 mg per pound (2,250 mg per kg) per day (17).

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Still, more human research is needed.

Summary

Children consume the most titanium dioxide due to its high prevalence in candies and pastries. More research is needed before an ADI can be established.

Side effects

There is limited research on the side effects of titanium dioxide, and it largely depends on the route of access (2, 7, 15):

• Oral consumption. There are no known side effects.
• Eyes. The compound may cause minor irritation.
• Inhalation. Breathing in titanium dioxide dust has been linked to lung cancer in animal studies.
• Skin. It may cause minor irritation.

Most side effects are related to inhalation of titanium dioxide dust. Therefore, there are industry standards in place to limit exposure (19).

Summary

There are no known side effects of consuming titanium dioxide. However, animal studies suggest that inhalation of its dust may be linked to lung cancer.

Should you avoid it?

To date, titanium dioxide is considered safe for consumption.

Most research concludes that the amount consumed from food is so low that it poses no risk to human health (1, 3, 7, 17).

However, if you still want to avoid this additive, be sure to read food and drink labels carefully. Chewing gum, pastries, candies, coffee creamers, and cake decorations are the most common foods with titanium dioxide.

Keep in mind that there may be different trade or generic names for the compound that manufacturers may list instead of &#;titanium dioxide,&#; so be sure to get informed (20).

Considering titanium dioxide is present in mostly processed foods, it&#;s easy to avoid by opting for a diet of whole, unprocessed food.

Summary

Although titanium dioxide is generally recognized as safe, you may still wish to avoid it. The most common foods with the additive include chewing gum, pastries, coffee creamers, and cake decorations.

The bottom line

Titanium dioxide is an ingredient used to whiten many food products in addition to cosmetic, paint, and paper products.

Foods with titanium dioxide are typically candies, pastries, chewing gum, coffee creamers, chocolates, and cake decorations.

Although there are some safety concerns, the FDA generally recognizes titanium dioxide as safe. Moreover, most people do not consume nearly enough to cause any potential harm.

If you still want to avoid titanium dioxide, be sure to read labels carefully and stick to minimally processed whole food.

Titanium dioxide has been used for more than a century in various industrial and household applications. Chemically, its IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) name is titanium(IV) oxide, but it&#;s also informally known as titania. 

This is a naturally-occurring substance that has a relatively simple formula, TiO2. It&#;s most commonly used as a pigment, which you may recognise as titanium white, though the technical names for the colour are Pigment White 6 (PW6) and CI .

Products With Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide is an inorganic chemical that&#;s highly stable and non-reactive, even at high temperatures. This means it can be used in the manufacture of a range of products, from paint and food additives to ceramics, adhesives, and even toothpaste. In these products, it&#;s used either as one of the main ingredients, as a precursor, or as a catalyst. 

• Paint: Titanium dioxide is used as a white colour pigment that provides an opaque coverage. Titanium white, the pigment, is the most popular shade of white to paint with because of this opaque and cloudy effect.
• Food additive: As a food additive, TiO2 is mainly used as a food colourant, and is often used in confectionery, baking, and sauces.
• Sunscreen: Together with zinc oxide, titanium dioxide is very effective at blocking ultraviolet rays from the sun, acting as a mineral sunscreen that physically blocks and deflects sunlight. This is because its nanoparticles act as very small mirrors that reflect sunlight.
• Coatings: Since this compound can naturally block UV rays, it&#;s also an effective chemical coating that can protect painted surfaces against UV damage. In this way, it helps in the longevity of the surface.
• Adhesives: Titanium dioxide minimises the potential of cracking or colour fading in plastics. Similarly, it prevents brittleness in rubber when exposed to sunlight, and is added to adhesives for rubber and plastic materials for these reasons.
• Ceramics: Pure or elemental titanium has the highest tensile strength to density ratio. This means that it can handle tremendous pull and shear force. However, titanium dioxide is a mineral and can easily become powdered. With that in mind, it&#;s used in ceramic manufacturing not for its strength, but for the glaze it imparts on the ceramic as a result of this mineral crystallizing during cooling.
• Floor coverings: TiO2 can be applied to floorboards or other types of flooring in order to enhance the shine, as well as make the floor tougher to the abrasive action of foot traffic.
• Cosmetics: In the cosmetics industry, titanium dioxide is mainly used as a pigment, though it also finds application as a thickener in many cosmetic products.
• Toothpaste: While this compound doesn&#;t have any oral or dental benefit, it&#;s often added to toothpastes in order to improve the whiteness of the product.
• Soaps: TiO2 provides white opaque colour to soaps, which is hard to achieve using other types of pigments.

TiO2 is generally derived from minerals like ilmenite, rutile, and anatase. Of the total global production of titanium dioxide, around two-thirds of it is used in pigments. The total value of pigments based on titanium dioxide is around $13.2 billion.

Foods That Contain Titanium Dioxide

Food-grade titanium dioxide powder particles are 200-300 nanometers (nm) in diameter. As an additive, this compound is 99% pure and considered very safe. The reason titanium dioxide is used as a food additive is because the light-scattering property of this powdered mineral can help to enhance the opaque whiteness of many food products, like cake decorations or sweets.

This compound also aids in food preservation because it decreases the ethylene production in food, thereby prolonging its shelf life. It can similarly kill many types of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

As a food additive, titanium dioxide has the E number E171. Some food products that commonly include this additive are:

• Chewing gum
• Sweets
• Pasties
• Chocolates
• Coffee creamers
• Cake decorations

Does Titanium Dioxide Pose Any Health Risks?

There are two sides to this. The first is that some believe the smallness of titanium dioxide nanoparticles might be able to cause problems when ingested. Since nanoparticles can pass through the filters of the kidney, the barrier of the intestines, and through the blood-brain barrier, they could have some toxic effects, like inflammatory reactions. 

Other identified health risks of an over-consumption of sweets containing TiO2 nanoparticles could include:

• Inflammatory or allergic reactions
• Death of the cells due to oxidative stress
• Some chronic health conditions, such as cataracts

The parliament of the European Union is calling for a ban on the sale of food that contains titanium dioxide because of the risks involved. In fact, as of January , France has already banned it as a food additive.

However, the Titanium Dioxide Manufacturers Association (TDMA) states that E171 has been thoroughly tested and no link has been found between ingesting titanium dioxide and ill health. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has confirmed this, stating that TiO2 is not a safety concern.

Can You Find Titanium Dioxide In Sweets?

We&#;ve just touched on it briefly, but TiO2 is actually a common ingredient in many sweets, like candies, chocolates, and cake decorations. Aside from providing the opaque white, shiny pigment that so many sweets require, this additive also helps in the preservation of these confectionary goods.

As a highly stable and inert compound, titanium dioxide doesn&#;t react with other ingredients in sweets, even when being cooked at high temperatures.

Is Titanium Dioxide Safe In Soap?

Despite what we&#;ve just said, titanium dioxide is actually pretty safe when it&#;s not ingested or inhaled as nanoparticles. When added to soap as a pigment, it&#;s inert, stable, and provides the characteristic opaque white colour of most soaps. 

When used in this way, i.e. topically, TiO2 is completely safe for the skin. This is because it can be easily washed off and isn&#;t readily absorbed by the skin. Unlike the food additive particles, the soap additive particles of titanium dioxide aren&#;t small enough to pass through the skin and be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Based on one study, TiO2  nanoparticles don&#;t have the ability to permeate or damage the skin: it can only be found in the stratum corneum and epidermis. The toxicity, then, only has significant effects after an extreme amount of exposure.

What Does Titanium Dioxide Do In Makeup?

TiO2 is used as pigment in most makeup products, including blusher, face primer, face powder, foundation, highlight, lip gloss, mascara, and concealer. It&#;s used in these types of products for its opaque and shiny appearance, which allows makeup to be applied in thin coatings because the pigment will be better. 

We mentioned earlier that titanium dioxide is an effective sunscreen because of its ability to block ultraviolet rays. For the same reason, this powdery mineral is also used in makeup to protect the skin against the harmful effects of UV exposure. In this way, TiO2 in makeup also acts as an extra barrier between your skin and the sun. 

Is Titanium Dioxide Safe In Makeup?

As with soap, since the nanoparticles of TiO2 don&#;t penetrate the skin beyond the outer layers of the stratum corneum, titanium dioxide is considered safe to use in makeup. Similarly, TiO2 nanoparticles don&#;t reach the viable cells or enter the blood circulation. According to the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), these nanoparticles are non-sensitizers and not skin irritants. There&#;s also no evidence of mutagenic or carcinogenic effects on the skin as a result of TiO2 in makeup.

TiO2 nanoparticles only become dangerous when inhaled or ingested because they can easily enter the bloodstream this way. Therefore, you should avoid inhaling any powdered makeup and also make sure that you remove your makeup at the end of each day &#; which your skin will thank you for, anyway!