The artificial preservatives used in many processed foods could increase the risk of inflammatory bowel diseases and metabolic disorders , according to a study published in the journal Nature and carried out by a Georgia State University (USA).
Research found that chemicals known as “emulsifiers” that are used to improve the texture and increase the shelf life of foods alter the composition of bacteria in the colon. It is the first time that it has been shown that these additives so common in products such as margarines, sauces, cookies, ice cream, baby milk, pasta or jams, directly affect our health .
To reach these conclusions, the scientists conducted an experiment with mice; Two very common emulsifiers (polysorbate 80 and carboxymethyl cellulose) were administered to the first group, imitating the doses included in almost all processed foods; the second group was taken as a control group. After a while, experts discovered that emulsifiers had altered the gut microbiota, turning them into pro-inflammation bacteria. These new altered bacteria could infiltrate the thick mucus layer that lines the intestine, then producing bacteria that can activate the pro-inflammatory gene expression of the immune system . For this reason, some of the mice – those with a propensity for this disorder – developed chronic colitis. Those who were not genetically inclined to suffer from colitis did have mild intestinal inflammation and metabolic syndrome, circumstances that cause the development of obesity, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.
These emulsifiers, according to the study, could be responsible for this alteration of the intestinal microbiota and the increase in the incidence of pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and metabolic syndrome – which can lead to type 2 diabetes and liver or cardiovascular disease – and whose incidence has skyrocketed since the mid-20th century.
“The spectacular increase in these diseases has occurred despite human genetics, which suggests a fundamental role for environmental factors . And it is that food interacts directly with the intestinal flora, so we think that some compounds in the current diet could be promoting inflammation in intestinal bacteria “, explains Benoit Chassaing, co-author of the study.
The next step in the study is to perform experiments with humans to find out if they affect the same way as mice, results that they believe will be similar.
