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Preservatives in food increase the risk of developing cancer or diabetes. This is shown by two recently published studies in which researchers evaluated data from more than 100,000 people over a period of several years.
The studies, published in the British Medical Journal and Nature Communications, conclude, among other things, that the consumption of various preservatives such as sorbates, sulfites, and nitrites is associated with a higher incidence of cancer. This is most evident in the case of sodium nitrite (E250), which is used to preserve meat and sausage products and increases the risk of prostate cancer by about a third. According to the studies, regular consumption of potassium sorbate (E202), which is found in ketchup and mayonnaise, doubles the risk of diabetes.
This level of risk is relatively low on an individual level. In comparison, smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by more than 15 times. At the societal level, however, it means numerous additional diseases, as these additives are widespread in food.
Minimal processing preferred
“It doesn’t mean that you will immediately get cancer if you consume products with preservatives, but you should limit the frequency of this consumption,” said epidemiologist Mathilde Touvier, who supervised the two studies by the French research institute Inserm. “The message to the general public is: on supermarket shelves, you should prefer the least processed foods,” she added.
Recently, more and more health risks associated with industrially produced foods have been documented. However, efforts to regulate them often fail due to political disagreements. In France, for example, a strategic plan on nutrition and climate was shelved at the last minute last fall due to disagreements within the government.
- source: red, science.ORF.at/agencies/picture: Image by beauty_of_nature from Pixabay
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