Still, in 2016 Skittles publicly declared it would get rid of the chemical compound in its products, according to a press release at the time from the Center for Food Safety, which called the substance harmful and potentially poisonous. But the ingredient remains, according to the lawsuit, which alleges the candy company is misleading consumers by not having eliminated titanium dioxide.

To overcome this challenge, manufacturers use advanced technology and processes to monitor and control the buff percentage of their products. This may involve the use of sophisticated equipment to measure the coating thickness of titanium dioxide particles, as well as automated systems to adjust the level of coating as needed. By carefully controlling the buff percentage, manufacturers can ensure that their products meet the specifications of their customers and maintain a high level of quality and performance.

Despite a bullish trends ruling the market for the bulk of the period, the North American market had mixed sentiments in the fourth quarter of 2021. This was mostly due to the adequate pushback from the supply-demand imbalance, which was further compounded by rising natural gas prices, which had taken a proper toll on the future production of numerous minerals, including titanium dioxide. An increase in COVID instances had prompted concerns in ore feedstock. As a result, during the fourth quarter of 2021, the FD UGSC (USA) quarterly average negotiations for the chemical CP Rutile Grade were finalised at USD 4434 per tonne.

Price increases of 139-174 USD /MT were seen in Q3 by western suppliers in a tight and buoyant market that faced multiple persistent pulls on supply, including an ongoing lack of Chinese export competitiveness. Furthermore, container constraints hampered its delivery to the rest of the world.