Recent observational studies, published in the BMJ and Nature, have examined associations between dietary exposure to common food preservatives and the incidence of cancer and type 2 diabetes.
These studies analyzed detailed dietary records from more than 100,000 French adults in the NutriNet-Santé cohort (2009–2023) to estimate individual intake of 17 widely used preservatives found in ultra-processed foods, such as ready meals, processed meats, snacks and sauces, multiple media reports said quoting the research.
In the cancer analysis reported in the BMJ, while preservatives overall were not directly associated with cancer incidence, higher consumption of specific compounds correlated with modest increases in risk for certain cancers. For example, potassium sorbate was linked with about a 14% increased overall cancer risk and 26% increased breast cancer risk, sodium nitrite with a 32% higher prostate cancer risk, and other additives such as sulfites, potassium nitrate and acetates with elevated breast or overall cancer risks.
Separately, a companion study in Nature Communications found that total preservative intake was associated with up to a 49% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with lowest consumption levels. Of the 17 preservatives, 12 showed positive associations with diabetes incidence, including widely used preservatives such as potassium sorbate, sodium nitrite, acetic acid and calcium propionate.
These findings are observational correlations, not proof of causation, but are consistent with experimental data suggesting some preservatives may affect cellular DNA, immune and metabolic pathways. Researchers emphasize the need for further studies and suggest reducing unnecessary preservatives and favoring fresh, minimally processed foods to potentially lower chronic disease risks.
