Manufacturers use titanium dioxide in some packaging to protect food from exposure to sunlight. Lab studies show it may also help stop bacteria from growing, and break down a gas that makes many fruits and vegetables ripen faster. That can keep products fresher and give them a longer shelf life.   

TiO2 is also used in the production of plastics, where it serves as a whitening agent and UV stabilizer. By incorporating TiO2 into plastic products, manufacturers can enhance their appearance, increase their lifespan, and improve their resistance to sunlight and weathering. Additionally, TiO2 helps prevent the degradation of plastic materials, ensuring that they retain their properties and performance over time.

Separately, concerns have been raised about titanium dioxide impacting one's genetic code. This can be traced to a 2009 study which found that titanium dioxide nanoparticles caused DNA damage and genetic instability in mice. A 2022 study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology also raised concerns about the DNA-damaging effects of titanium dioxide as a food additive. The study noted that results evidenced a DNA-damaging effect, and added that there may also be impacts to chromosomal integrity, an indicator of cancer risk.

Lithopone(CAS NO.1345-05-7) is manufactured by a process in which barium sulfide solution is prepared by reducing barite ore (BaSO4) with carbon and leaching the resulting mass.

Nano-sized TiO₂ generally shows low or no acute toxicity in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, exposure of Daphnia magna to 20 ppm TiO₂ for 8 consecutive days was found to cause 40 % mortality. Zhu et al. showed minimal toxicity to D. magna after 48 h exposure, while upon chronic exposure for 21 days, D. magna suffered severe growth retardation and mortality. A significant amount of nano-sized TiO₂ was found also accumulated in the body of the animals. Similar findings with coated nano-sized TiO₂ (T-Lite™ SF, T-Lite™ SF-S and T-Lite™ MAX; BASF SE) were reported by Wiench et al. Biochemical measurements showed that exposure to TiO₂ NPs induces significant concentration-dependent antioxidant enzyme activities in D. magna. Lee et al. showed that 7 and 20 nm-sized TiO₂ induced no genotoxic effect in D. magna and in the larva of the aquatic midge Chironomus riparius.