Some food preservatives linked to increased risk of cancer and diabetes | Euronews

Large cohort studies in France show that people who consume large amounts of certain food preservatives have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

Research from a large French cohort suggests that people who consume larger amounts of certain food preservatives have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.

Preservatives in some grocery products, nuts, cheese and chocolate may increase the risk of some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes, according to the authors of two important new studies.

Research published in the BMJ and Nature Communications found that high intakes of certain preservatives were associated with a 47 percent higher incidence of type 2 diabetes and a 32 percent higher incidence of certain cancers than lower intakes.

"This study provides a new approach for health agencies to evaluate the safety of these foods in the future, taking into account the balance between food safety and cancer benefits and risks," the authors of the cancer study wrote.

conservative and type 2 diabetes

Preservatives belong to the family of food additives and are widely used by the global food industry to extend the shelf life of products.

For diabetes analysis, preservatives are classified into non-antioxidants, which mainly inhibit microbial growth or slow chemical changes that cause spoilage, and antioxidants, which slow or prevent food spoilage by limiting oxidation.

High intake of non-antioxidant preservatives is associated with a 49% higher incidence of type 2 diabetes.In the case of antioxidant additives, participants with higher intakes were 40% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Special preservatives linked to cancer

In addition to analyzing total preservative consumption, the cancer study also examined 17 individual substances.Although no link has been found between overall preservative consumption and cancer, higher consumption of certain preservatives has been associated with certain cancers.

Potassium sorbate, commonly used to prevent the growth of mold and yeast in dairy products and baked goods, was associated with a 14% higher risk of cancer overall and a 26% higher risk of breast cancer.

Sodium nitrite, a preservative found in bacon, ham, sausages and other meats, has been linked to a 32% increase in prostate cancer, while potassium nitrate, another preservative, has been linked to an increased risk of general cancer (13%) and breast cancer (22%).

Meat, which has a high level of chemicals added to extend their life, has been proven to be associated with colon cancer.In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified processed meats, including ham, bacon, salami and sausages, as category 1 food allergens.

Acetate, a common acidity regulator and flavoring agent, increases the risk of overall cancer by 15% and the risk of breast cancer by 25%.

The researchers looked at the NutriNet-Santé cohort - a French study of more than 100,000 participants who completed regular dietary records for an average of 7.5 years.

Between 2009 and 2023, volunteers provided their health history, sociodemographic information, physical activity, and other information about their lifestyle and health status.

They also constantly provided detailed information about their food consumption by repeated 24-hour food records, including names and brands of industrial products; This allowed the researchers to appreciate the exposure with complement databases.

More research is needed to make recommendations

Although more research is needed to better understand these links, researchers say these new data support a reevaluation of regulations governing the use of these additives in the food industry to improve consumer protection.

This is an observational study, so it is impossible to draw definitive conclusions about cause and effect, and the researchers acknowledge that they cannot rule out the possibility that other unobserved factors may have influenced the results.

Entretanto, apelam aos fabricantes para que limitem a utilização de conservantes desnecessários e apoiam as recomendações para que os consumidores privilegiem os alimentos frescos e minimamente processados.

Experts in the field, while recognizing the value of the study for future research, caution against establishing a direct causal relationship based on the results.

"Any calls for changes in consumer behavior would be premature, given the uncertainty involved in analyzing multiple subgroups and the potential for spurious error," said Gavin Stewart, reader in interdisciplinary evidence research at Newcastle University, who was not involved in the study.

Stewart added that while future evidence will show the health benefits of avoiding canned foods, those benefits may outweigh the costs for some consumers.