Skittles was sued for containing titanium dioxide. ...

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In a lawsuit filed last week, a consumer alleged that Skittles were "unfit for human consumption" because the rainbow candy contained a "known toxin" &#; an artificial color additive called titanium dioxide.

In a statement sent to USA TODAY on Sunday, Justin Comes, vice president of research and development for Skittles maker Mars Wrigley North America, said the company couldn't comment on pending litigation &#; but that its use of titanium dioxide and "all Mars Wrigley ingredients are safe and manufactured in compliance with strict quality and safety requirements established by food safety regulators, including the FDA."

Titanium dioxide is used in a wide range of food products and consumer goods &#; from candy to sunscreen and house paint. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration maintains that the regulated use of titanium dioxide, specifically as a color additive in food, is safe under some restrictions.

However, some experts and food regulators in other countries disagree &#; pointing to potential, serious health consequences and rising concerns about the additive. Starting August 7, for example, the use of titanium dioxide in food will be banned in the European Union.

Here's what you need to know about titanium dioxide:

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What is titanium dioxide? Why is it used in food products?

Titanium dioxide, or TiO2, sometimes referred to as E171, is an inorganic, solid substance used in a wide range of consumer goods including cosmetics, paint, plastic and food, according to the American Chemistry Council.

In food, titanium dioxide is often used as an artificial color additive. Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist at the consumer health nonprofit Environmental Working Group, says titanium dioxide can generally be thought of as a "paint primer" &#; it often goes on a hard-shelled candy like Skittles before the color is added to give it a "uniform shine."

Titanium dioxide "can also be found in dairy products to make them whiter and brighter &#; like frosting or cottage cheese," Stoiber told USA TODAY, adding that the additive is used in other products &#; such as food or beverage instant mixes &#; as an anti-caking agent.

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Titanium dioxide is used in an enormous range of food products, which can feel jarring when looking at some of its other uses.

"It's sort of ironic, maybe ironic is the wrong word, that the ingredient in paint that makes your kitchen shiny also makes your Hostess cupcakes shiny," Environmental Working Group's senior vice president of government affairs Scott Faber added.

Is titanium dioxide dangerous? Has it been linked to any health issues?

While the FDA maintains that the regulated use of titanium dioxide is safe, the European Food Safety Authority and some other experts warn of potential, serious health risks.

Most notably, a European Food Safety Authority safety assessment published in May pointed to genotoxicity concerns, as suggested by previous research. Genotoxicity is the ability of chemicals to damage genetic information such as DNA, which may lead to cancer.

"After oral ingestion, the absorption of titanium dioxide particles is low, however they can accumulate in the body," Maged Younes, chair of the European Food Safety Authority's expert Panel on Food Additives and Flavourings, said in a May statement.

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The authority did not identify a safe amount of titanium dioxide that could be consumed.

Matthew Wright, chair of the authority's working group on titanium dioxide, noted that "the evidence for general toxic effects was not conclusive," but that the panel couldn't rule out genotoxicity entirely. There were also some current data limitations and the assessment "could not establish a safe level for daily intake of the food additive," he stated.

What other candies and food contain titanium dioxide?

It's hard to determine the total amount of food products that have titanium dioxide because federal regulations don't require all producers to list its use on ingredient labels, but the list of foods containing the substance certainly doesn't end with Skittles.

Of the products that include the additive in their labels, Thea Bourianne, senior manager at data consultant Label Insights, told Food Navigator USA in May that more than 11,000 products in the company's database of U.S. food and beverage products listed titanium dioxide as an ingredient. Non-chocolate candy led those numbers at 32%. Cupcakes and snack cakes made up 14%, followed by cookies at 8%, coated pretzels and trail mix at 7%, baking decorations at 6%, gum and mints at 4% and ice cream at 2%.

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In addition to Skittles, other candies that contain titanium dioxide include Nice! mints, Trolli sour gummies and Ring Pops, according to Environmental Working Group. 

Other food products that list titanium dioxide are Lucerne cottage cheese, Beyond Meat's chicken plant-based tenders, Great Value ice cream and Chips Ahoy! cookies.

What is the FDA limit for titanium dioxide?

The FDA's Code of Federal Regulations allows for the legal, regulated use of titanium dioxide in food products, under some restrictions.

"The FDA continues to allow for the safe use of titanium dioxide as a color additive in foods generally according to the specifications and conditions, including that the quantity of titanium dioxide does not exceed 1% by weight of the food," the FDA said in a statement to USA TODAY.

The FDA first approved the use of titanium dioxide in food in , following its removal (along with the removal of other color additives) from the agency's original "Generally Recognized as Safe" list. In , titanium dioxide joined the list of color additives that are exempt from certification, which means "titanium dioxide" doesn't have to be listed on the packaging of every product it's used in, Faber noted.

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"There are many uses of titanium dioxide that we don't know about because they were made exempt from being on the package in ," said Faber, who added that "nothing much has changed" since &#; other than the FDA approving some other uses of the color additive, such as expanding the use of mica-based pearlescent pigments (prepared from titanium dioxide) as color additives in distilled spirits over recent years.

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Faber argued there hasn't been enough change in these federal regulations in the decades following the FDA's approval of titanium dioxide &#; especially as others increasingly point to potential health consequences.

"What titanium dioxide is really emblematic of ... is the failure of FDA to look back at these old decisions and ask whether its decisions that were made in this case ... 56 years ago (in the approval) still hold up," he said.

In its statement to USA TODAY, the FDA maintained that, in all post-approvals for food additives, "our scientists continue to review relevant new information to determine whether there are safety questions and whether the use of such substance is no longer safe under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act."

When asked about the recent Skittles lawsuit, the FDA said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

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Is titanium dioxide illegal in other countries?

Though the regulated use of titanium dioxide in food products is legal in the U.S. and Canada, it's banned in some other countries, notably throughout Europe. In May , the European Food Safety Authority announced that titanium dioxide "can no longer be considered safe as a food additive."

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 .

How can I tell if a product has titanium dioxide in it? How can I avoid the ingredient?

Some food products will include titanium dioxide on their nutrition label. But again, it can be hard to tell for those who don't list the ingredient. 

If you want to avoid titanium dioxide, Stoiber and Faber urge consumers to try and avoid processed foods as best as you can.

"By reducing processed foods in your diet, you can reduce the likelihood of not only eating titanium dioxide but eating other chemicals of concern," Faber said, noting that consumers can also call their elected representatives urging them to support increased food safety legislation and take action with organization alliances like Toxic Free Food FDA. "America, once again, is falling behind the rest of the world when it comes to chemical safety."

"We're not only just concerned about titanium dioxide, there's a whole host of other food additives that also have known harmful health risks associated with them as well," Stoiber added.

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There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about titanium dioxide, which can be used as a colorant in foods. While headlines may suggest titanium dioxide is a health concern, scientific research has actually shown titanium dioxide to be safe. So what is it used for and why is it used? Read on to learn more!

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a naturally occurring mineral that is mined from the earth, processed and refined, and added to a variety of foods, as well as other consumer products. White in color, it is used to enhance the color and sheen of certain foods and is also key for food safety applications. In its natural state it exists in different bulk crystalline forms, such as anatase and rutile, but during processing it is ground into a very fine powder.

Is Titanium Dioxide Safe?

Yes. According to the FDA and other regulatory agencies globally, &#;titanium dioxide may be safely used for coloring foods&#;. Titanium dioxide is safe to use, and the FDA provides strict guidance on how much can be used in food. The amount of food-grade titanium dioxide that is used is extremely small; the FDA has set a limit of 1 percent titanium dioxide for food. There is currently no indication of a health risk at this level of exposure through the diet.

In food, titanium dioxide has a few different uses. Most notably, its food-grade form is used as a colorant to enhance and brighten the color of white foods such as dairy products, candy, frosting, and the powder on donuts. For foods that are sensitive to UV light, titanium dioxide is used for food safety purposes to prevent spoilage and increase the shelf life of food.

Titanium dioxide has similar uses in non-food products. It is used in sunscreen as effective protection against UVA/UVB rays from the sun, which creates a physical barrier between the sun&#;s rays and the skin. It&#;s also used to whiten paint, paper, plastic, ink, rubber, and cosmetics.

While IARC listed titanium dioxide as &#;possibly carcinogenic to humans,&#; they also add that &#;there is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of titanium dioxide.&#; Of the four human studies that they reviewed, only one showed a potential risk for occupational workers inhaling titanium dioxide particles and lung cancer, while the other three showed no risk for cancer at all. And it&#;s key to note that IARC did not assess the effects of titanium dioxide found in foods.

So if you&#;re worried about titanium dioxide, don&#;t be! With current research and industry recommendations, titanium dioxide is a safe food additive. And if you want to avoid it, that&#;s ok too! Just don&#;t expect certain foods to be so white, smooth, and bright.

This article was written by Kamilah Guiden and reviewed by Megan Meyer, PhD.

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