Food Preservatives May Increase Risk of High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
A new study suggests that common food preservatives may be associated with a higher risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Researchers from Sorbonne Paris Nord University and Université Paris Cité have found a potential link between food preservatives and the development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Analyzing data from the large-scale NutriNet-Santé cohort study, which included 112,395 participants followed for a median of 7.9 years, the team classified preservatives into two categories: non-antioxidant (e.g., sorbates, nitrites, sulfites) and antioxidant (e.g., ascorbic acid, citric acid). Nearly all participants (99.5%) consumed at least one preservative during the first two years of the study.
The analysis revealed that participants with the highest intake of non-antioxidant preservatives had a 29% higher risk of hypertension and a 16% higher risk of overall cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, and angina, compared to those with the lowest intake. Those with the highest intake of antioxidant preservatives had a 22% higher risk of hypertension.
Examining 17 individual preservatives, the researchers found eight associated with increased hypertension risk: potassium sorbate (E202), potassium metabisulfite (E224), sodium nitrite (E250), ascorbic acid (E300), sodium ascorbate (E301), sodium erythorbate (E316), citric acid (E330), and rosemary extract (E392). Ascorbic acid was also linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
During follow-up, 5,544 cases of hypertension and 2,450 cases of cardiovascular disease were recorded, including 1,142 cerebrovascular events and 1,308 cases of coronary artery disease. About 16% of the association between non-antioxidant preservatives and cardiovascular disease was mediated through hypertension, suggesting that preservatives may contribute to hypertension, which in turn raises cardiovascular risk.
The researchers note that this is an observational study and does not prove causation. The study had limitations: 78.7% of participants were women, and the cohort was highly educated, limiting generalizability. Nonetheless, the findings remained consistent across sensitivity analyses. The team calls for regulatory bodies like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reevaluate the risks and benefits of these additives. In the meantime, they support recommendations to choose non-processed or minimally processed foods.
