The research, published in Nature Communications and The BMJ, raises potential public health concerns due to the widespread use of preservatives in packaged and ultra-processed foods worldwide. Researchers say the results could prompt regulators to reconsider how these additives are approved and monitored to better protect consumers.
Preservatives are commonly added to foods to prolong freshness and prevent spoilage. Although laboratory studies have previously suggested that some of these compounds can damage cells or genetic material, strong population-based evidence connecting preservative consumption to chronic diseases has been limited.
To address this gap, researchers analyzed dietary and health data collected between 2009 and 2023 from more than 100,000 adults participating in France’s NutriNet-Santé study. The investigations evaluated overall preservative intake as well as the effects of 17 specific preservatives on the risk of developing cancer and type 2 diabetes.
In the cancer-focused study reported in The BMJ, no overall link was found between total preservative consumption and cancer rates. However, higher intake of several individual preservatives was associated with elevated cancer risk. For instance, potassium sorbate consumption was linked to increased rates of overall and breast cancer, while sulfites were associated with a higher risk of cancer overall. Sodium nitrite was connected to greater prostate cancer risk, and potassium nitrate was associated with higher rates of both overall and breast cancer. Acetate-based preservatives also showed associations with increased cancer incidence.
Researchers noted that some preservatives may interfere with immune responses or promote inflammation, processes that can contribute to cancer development. However, because the study was observational, it cannot establish direct cause-and-effect relationships, and unmeasured factors may have influenced the findings.
Despite these limitations, the long study duration and detailed dietary tracking strengthen the results, which align with earlier experimental evidence. The authors emphasized the need for health authorities to reassess preservative safety and encouraged food manufacturers to reduce unnecessary additive use. They also reinforced advice for consumers to favor fresh, minimally processed foods.
In a separate study published in Nature Communications, higher preservative intake was associated with significantly increased rates of type 2 diabetes. Twelve of the 17 preservatives examined individually showed links to elevated diabetes risk. The researchers described the findings as a first-of-its-kind analysis, noting that further research is needed to confirm the results.
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