Titanium dioxide mainly comes from the earth’s crust, where it’s actually the ninth most common element. When processed, it becomes a fine powder with a vibrant white pigment.

Since then, there has been a few animal studies suggesting titanium dioxide is connected to cancer. A 2017 study in Scientific Reports, for instance, found that rats with titanium dioxide in their diet had impaired immune systems, which could contribute to autoimmune diseases and colorectal cancer.