In a study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology in 2016, researchers investigated whether titanium dioxide exposure led to an increase in colorectal tumor creation in mice by using a colitis associated cancer model. By measuring tumor progression markers, the researchers found that mice given titanium dioxide experienced enhanced tumor formation in the distal colon.  There was also a decrease of cells that act as a protective barrier in the colon. The researchers wrote: “These results suggest that E171 could worsen pre-existent intestinal diseases.”

Le Lithopone Alcalin est un pigment blanc formé par le mélange intime en précipitation simultanée de sulfure de zinc et de Sulfate de Baryum. Le lithopone dit normal renferme 29.5% de ZnS et 70.5% de BasSO4 et renferme un peu d'Oxyde de Zinc.

Among the raw materials for coating production, titanium dioxide is more ideal, followed by lithopone. The covering power of lithopone is only that of titanium dioxide, and the price of lithopone is much lower than that of titanium dioxide, so lithopone still occupies a large market share.