Consumption of these food additives could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes: Femme Actuelle Le MAG

It’s no longer a surprise, ultra-processed foods can have many harmful consequences on health. Indeed, recent studies have shown that they are likely to increase the risks of cardiovascular diseases, gluten intolerance, cancer, and even mental health problems. Although often very appetizing, the site MangerBouger.fr reminds us that these ultra-processed foods have undergone physical, chemical or biological transformations through industrial processes and contain multiple additivesadded to improve their taste, texture, or even preservation.

A recent study published in the journal Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology was interested in relationships between food intake in emulsifying additives and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These are used to help mix two substances that normally separate. To do this, they analyzed the health data of more than 104,100 adults with an average age of 43 and 79% women, studying their consumption of emulsifying additives through dietary surveys every 6 months for 14 years.

Risk of type 2 diabetes and emulsifiers: here are the additives concerned

During this work, 1,056 participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At the end of the study, the researchers noted that chronic exposure to certain emulsifying additives was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Here is the list of emulsifiers concerned according to scientists:

• carrageenanssuch as E407, which would lead to an increase in risk of 3% for each 100 mg daily
• tripotassium phosphateor E340, which would cause an increase in risk of 15% for every 500 mg per day
• acetyltartaric acid esters of monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acidslike E472e, which would lead to an increase in risk of 4% for each 100 mg daily
• sodium citrateor E331, which would cause an increase in risk of 4% for each 500 mg daily
• guar gumor E412, which would cause an increase in risk of 11% for every 500 mg per day
• gum arabicor E414, which would lead to an increase in risk of 3% for each 1000 mg daily
• xanthan gumor E415, which would cause an increase in risk of 8% for each 500 mg daily

Initial results which should push us to re-evaluate the use of these additives according to the researchers

If these initial findings show a link between exposure to certain emulsifying additives and increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the scientists in the study insist on the need for continued research in order to be able to explain the reasons for this association. “These results must be reproduced in other epidemiological studies around the world, and supplemented by experimental toxicological and interventional studies, to shed further light on the mechanisms linking these emulsifying additives and the occurrence of type 2 diabetes, but they provide key elements to enrich the debate ona re-evaluation of the regulations relating to the use of additives in the food industryin order to better protect consumers”, explained Mathilde Touvier and Bernard Srour, main authors of the study, in a press release.

Sources:

• Food additive emulsifiers and the risk of type 2 diabetes: analysis of data from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study – The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology – May 2024
• Consumption of certain emulsifying food additives may be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes – Inserm – April 24, 2024
• Ultra-processed foods: why eat less of them? – MangerBouger.fr