People who ate the largest amounts of a group of common food preservatives were more likely to develop high blood pressure than those who ate the least.
That is the finding of a large French study published in the European Heart Journal in May 2026.
The eight additives named in the analysis are potassium sorbate (E202), potassium metabisulphite (E224), sodium nitrite (E250) and ascorbic acid (E300).
The list also includes sodium ascorbate (E301), sodium erythorbate (E316), citric acid (E330) and rosemary extract (E392).
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Researchers reported that 99.5 percent of participants consumed at least one preservative during the study, mostly through packaged industrial foods.
Sulphites such as potassium metabisulphite came mainly from alcoholic drinks, while sodium nitrite reached the diet largely through cured and processed meats such as ham, bacon and sausages.
How it affected the body
The study drew on the NutriNet-Santé cohort of 112,395 French adults, more than two-thirds of them women, with an average age of about 43.
Participants filled in detailed 24-hour dietary records and were followed for a median of 7.9 years.
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During that time, participants who developed high blood pressure or a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, stroke or angina were tracked against their preservative intake.
People who ate the most non-antioxidant preservatives, the type used to block mold and bacteria, had a 29 percent higher risk of high blood pressure. Their risk of cardiovascular disease was 16 percent higher than the lowest group's.
Antioxidant preservatives, used to keep food from turning brown or rancid, were tied to a 22 percent higher risk of high blood pressure.
Observational study
The study was observational, so it can flag a pattern but cannot show that any one additive causes disease. The authors say experimental work is still needed to explain how these compounds affect the heart and blood vessels.
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"These results suggest we need a re-evaluation of the risks and benefits of these food additives by the authorities in charge," said Dr. Mathilde Touvier of Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, one of the study leaders, in a press release from the European Society of Cardiology.
Registered nutritionist Dr. Federica Amati of Imperial College London gave a practical take to Medical News Today. "It’s virtually impossible to reduce your preservative intake to zero, but cutting down on UPFs is a great place to start," she said.
The most direct step for shoppers is to check the ingredient list on packaged foods and cut back on cured meats, sweetened drinks and heavily processed snacks.
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This article is made and published by Ida-Marie Palm Varbæk, who may have used AI in the preparation.