European food safety regulators have since labeled titanium dioxide as no longer safe for human consumption, due to its potential toxicity.
Technical Specifications：(Standard：Q/SNBJ1-2012)
Recent analyses of food-grade TiO2 samples have found that a significant portion of particles may be within the nanoscale. These particles (also known as nanoparticles) range in size from 1 to 100 nm, where 1 nm equals 1 billionth of a metre (the width of a typical human hair is 80,000 to 100,000 nm).
The application of lithopone in building materials industry can not only be used as water-soluble coatings for interior and exterior walls of buildings, but also as fillers for wallpaper, floor paint, dining table and other plastic all ceramic veneers.
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.”
In addition to Skittles, other candies that contain titanium dioxide include Nice! mints, Trolli sour gummies and Ring Pops, according to Environmental Working Group.