A recent study has revealed a link between the consumption of food preservatives and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly those used in processed foods and beverages.
Important medical warning: A new risk factor for type 2 diabetes
Preservatives are among the food additives widely used in the global food industry. According to the 2024 Open Food Facts database, more than 700,000 of the approximately 3.5 million listed food products contain at least one preservative. These substances are classified into two main categories: non-antioxidant preservatives, which prevent the growth of microorganisms or slow food spoilage, and antioxidant additives, which delay spoilage by reducing oxygen levels in products. These substances are often indicated on food labels by the European codes E200 to E299 and E300 to E399.
The study was based on previous findings indicating that some preservatives may cause damage to cells and DNA, and negatively affect metabolism, which prompted researchers to study their possible relationship to type 2 diabetes.
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The research team from the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), the National Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research (INRAE) and a number of French universities relied on health and nutritional data from more than 100,000 adults participating in the NutriNet-Santé study.
The research team was led by Mathilde Touvier, research director at Inserm, based on data from participants who provided detailed information about their medical history, lifestyle and physical activity, along with accurate dietary records covering multiple periods over 14 years.
Between 2009 and 2023, 1,131 cases of type 2 diabetes were recorded among 108,723 participants. The results showed that higher overall consumption of preservatives was associated with a 47% increased risk of developing the disease, while consumption of non-antioxidant preservatives was associated with a 49% increase, and antioxidant additives with a 40% increase, compared to the lowest consumption levels.
Individual analyses also showed that 12 out of 17 commonly consumed preservatives were associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, including sodium nitrite and calcium propionate, along with antioxidant additives such as citric acid, phosphoric acid, and rosemary extracts.
Tovey emphasized that this study is the first of its kind globally in linking food preservatives to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, noting that the results, although they need further confirmation, are consistent with previous experimental data on the harmful effects of some of these compounds.
The researchers concluded by emphasizing the importance of adhering to health recommendations that encourage the consumption of fresh or less processed foods, and reducing reliance on products rich in food additives as much as possible.
The results were published in the journal Nature Communications.
