The EU expert panel did not identify an immediate health concern linked to TiO₂ when used as a food additive. However, due mainly to uncertainties concerning the safety of TiO₂ nanoparticles, the panel concluded that TiO₂ as a food additive (E171) could no longer be considered safe.

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In 2017, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) warned that they should revise their recommendations if any new evidence emerges in the future related to the potentially harmful effects of TiO₂NPs used in a sunscreen formulation or if they can penetrate the skin. In fact, our work could contribute to this matter because it evaluated the skin penetration of a particular kind of TiO₂NPs. [8]

The most significant uncertainty identified by the EU experts was the concern that TiO₂ particles may have genotoxic effects. Genotoxicity refers to the ability of a chemical to directly damage genetic material within a cell (DNA), which may lead to cancer in certain situations. Although the experts did not conclude that TiO₂ particles in E171 are genotoxic, they could not rule out the concern that they might be.