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You may be taking a second look at your favorite candy after hearing this week's news about titanium dioxide. Recently, a lawsuit was filed against Mars, Inc. based on claims that the manufacturer's popular Skittles candy is unfit for human consumption. The class-action lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in mid-July, alleged that the candy contained heightened levels of a known toxin called titanium dioxide — a food additive that the company previously pledged to phase out from their products in 2016, according to the Center for Food Safety.

But what is titanium dioxide, exactly? Here's what you need to know about this popular food additive — including what products it's used in and whether it's safe to consume.