titanium dioxide used in rubber factory

Of the products that include the additive in their labels, Thea Bourianne, senior manager at data consultant Label Insights, told Food Navigator USA in May 2021 that more than 11,000 products in the company's database of U.S. food and beverage products listed titanium dioxide as an ingredient. Non-chocolate candy led those numbers at 32%. Cupcakes and snack cakes made up 14%, followed by cookies at 8%, coated pretzels and trail mix at 7%, baking decorations at 6%, gum and mints at 4% and ice cream at 2%.

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That came after a 2021 report from an expert panel at the European Food Safety Authority, which reviewed data on titanium dioxide safety. The panel said it couldn’t rule out concerns that the food additive might be able to damage DNA and possibly lead to cancer. They explained that after you eat something that has titanium dioxide in it, your body absorbs low levels of its particles – but the particles can build up as you eat more foods with this additive.

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The manufacturing process of titanium dioxide typically involves mining ilmenite, rutile, or anatase from natural sources, followed by conversion into TiO2 through various chemical processes. The resulting TiO2 can then be further processed to achieve different particle sizes and coatings that optimize its performance in specific applications. For instance, TiO2 used in sunscreens is often coated to enhance its effectiveness in blocking UV rays without causing skin irritation.

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