For those wishing to limit or avoid exposure to titanium dioxide in foods, there are some steps you can take. 

Mars Wrigley, the company that makes Skittles, is being sued by a California man who claims the candy contains a known toxin that poses such a serious health risk that Skittles are unfit for human consumption.

TiO₂ comes in many different forms. However, only a few of these forms are considered food-grade (acceptable to be added to food). Many studies that raised concern about the safety of TiO₂, including the concern for genotoxicity, used forms of TiO₂ that are not considered acceptable for use in food and have different properties than food-grade TiO₂. Other studies did use food-grade TiO₂, but took steps to break the material down into smaller particles than what would normally be found in food.

However, it’s also important to note that such adverse effects depend heavily on the form of the titanium dioxide. It can come down to characteristics like “particle shape, purity, surface charge, solubility, agglomeration rate, photo-activation, etc.”

Following six months of phasing out the additive, titanium dioxide will be completely banned in the European Union starting August 7. France had previously banned the use of titanium dioxide in food starting in January 2020.

Research supports that applying titanium dioxide to the skin in the form of sunscreens, makeup, and other topical products does not pose any health risks.