In several countries, consumers, authorities, and producers have debated the use of preservatives in industrially produced food for years.
The issue concerns public health, food prices, and social inequality, as processed products often play a central role in lower-income households.
It is precisely this balance between protection and accessibility that is now back in focus.
Regulation under pressure
According to a new study published in the scientific journal The BMJ, certain preservatives may be associated with a moderately increased cancer risk.
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The findings do not provide grounds for immediate bans, but they challenge the current frameworks for the approval and monitoring of food additives, the researchers behind the study write.
In an accompanying editorial, U.S. researchers point out that preservatives offer clear societal benefits, but that their widespread use occurs with limited knowledge of long-term health effects.
They therefore call for more balanced regulation, according to The BMJ.
What the study shows
The study is based on data from the NutriNet-Santé project, in which more than 105,000 French participants have reported detailed dietary information over more than a decade.
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The researchers linked these data with health registries and identified a total of 4,226 cancer cases through the end of 2023.
According to the researchers, there was no association between overall intake of preservatives and cancer.
However, higher consumption of certain individual substances, often found in processed meat, ready-made meals, and soft drinks, was associated with an increased risk of specific types of cancer.
The associations varied considerably among the substances examined, The BMJ reports.
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Future food policy
The study does not establish causal relationships. Nevertheless, the results may have implications for future food policy.
The researchers emphasize that the findings are consistent with previous laboratory studies and should therefore be included in health authorities’ risk assessments.
At the same time, they stress that existing dietary guidelines already recommend limiting highly processed foods.
The new research does not change this advice, but it adds a new layer of evidence to a debate that is far from over.
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Sources: Ecancer, and The BMJ.
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