,Titanium dioxide (TiO?), a widely used whitening pigment and ultraviolet absorber found in products ranging from paints and cosmetics to medicines, remains under regulatory scrutiny in France and across Europe due to potential health risks. The substance was previously used as a food additive known as E171, but France suspended its use in food products in January 2020, ahead of a wider ban implemented across the European Union in 2022.
The French safety authority, ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), raised concerns in a 2019 assessment about the oral toxicity and potential genotoxic effects of titanium dioxide particles. These concerns contributed to France’s precautionary decision to halt the marketing of food products containing the additive.
Subsequently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reassessed titanium dioxide and concluded that it could no longer be considered safe as a food additive, primarily because the available data could not rule out the risk of DNA damage. As a result, the European Union prohibited the use of E171 in food starting in January 2022.
Titanium dioxide exists in different forms and particle sizes, including micro- and nanoscale particles, which may behave differently in biological systems. In France, nanoscale TiO? is one of the most widely produced or imported nanomaterials, with more than 10,000 tonnes reported annually through the national nanomaterials reporting system managed by ANSES.
Scientific studies have also suggested that inhalation exposure to titanium dioxide particles may cause lung tumours in laboratory animals, raising concerns about potential occupational exposure risks for workers in industries where the material is handled.
Despite restrictions in food, titanium dioxide remains authorised for certain uses in cosmetics and medicines under regulated conditions. In cosmetics, its use as a colourant and UV filter is governed by Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, although the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) indicated in 2024 that potential genotoxic effects of some forms of TiO? used in cosmetics cannot be fully ruled out.
In pharmaceutical products, titanium dioxide is commonly used as an opacifying agent and colouring material. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) stated in 2021 that replacing titanium dioxide in medicines could negatively affect the quality, stability, and availability of certain medicinal products, and encouraged manufacturers to accelerate research into suitable alternatives.
Regulators in France and the European Union continue to monitor scientific evidence on titanium dioxide to determine whether additional regulatory measures are necessary to protect consumer and occupational health.
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