Although titanium dioxide has been banned from being added to food by the European Union, scientists and engineers in the United States don’t see such use of this naturally occurring oxide of the chemical element titanium as a cause for concern. As a legal additive in the U.S., titanium dioxide is used in everything from food to consumer goods. Fulton Schools Professor Paul Westerhoff, an environmental engineer, who has researched the biological and cellular effects of titanium dioxide, points to the many studies showing no adverse effects. He says consumers should be more concerned about substitutes for titanium dioxide being used in many products that have not undergone research on their effects on people.