'Safe' food preservatives raise concerns, linked to hypertension & heart issues

Potassium sorbate is often used in wine and baked goods. Potassium metabisulphite is found in wine, juice, cider, beer and other fermented beverages. Sodium nitrite is a chemical salt commonly used in processed meats such as bacon, ham and deli meats. All packaged food products have some kind of preservative added to extend their shelf life to kill the growth of bacteria.  

According to new research, published by the European Society of Cardiology, these food preservatives have been linked to a 29 per cent increased risk of hypertension, and a 16 per cent higher risk of heart attacks in people. 

The research also noted that eight of the 17 most commonly consumed preservatives were specifically linked to high blood pressure. These are potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulphite, sodium nitrite, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, sodium erythorbate, citric acid, and rosemary extracts. Ascorbic acid was specifically linked to an increased risk of heart problems. Nitrates and sulfur-based compounds found in foods like red and processed meats are already known to increase the risk of heart disease.

Antioxidants like vitamin C and ascorbic acid are naturally found in fruits, but when manufactured artificially, they have different effects on the body. The study echoes the recent European Society of Cardiology consensus, which also links excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods with a high risk of cardiovascular issues. 

The research is a part of a larger study, called NutriNet-Santé, and included 1,12,395 volunteers from across France. Nearly 79 per cent were women, and the average age at the start of the study was about 43. The median follow-up period was 7.9 years, running through the end of 2024.

Participants completed detailed dietary records, up to 96 of them, logging everything consumed right down to the specific brand. Because the same type of food can contain very different preservative ingredients depending on the manufacturer, that brand-specific detail allowed researchers to cross-reference multiple food composition databases and conduct laboratory tests on food samples to identify what preservatives were present and in what amounts.

Researchers tracked 58 different preservative substances. Of those, 17 were consumed by at least 10 per cent of the study population and were examined individually for links to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

Their health was tracked for seven to eight years to find the development of any heart issues. Researchers observed that 99.5 per cent of volunteers consumed at least one food preservative within the first two years.  

The study did have some drawbacks, Dr Touvier explained that it is an observational study. However, the findings are based on highly detailed data, and they have taken into account other factors that can increase or decrease the risk of heart issues.