WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study from France, published in The BMJ, suggested that people who eat more foods containing preservatives may have a slightly higher risk of developing cancer.
To study possible long-term effects of food preservatives, the researchers examined diet and health data collected between 2009 and 2023. The data included 105,260 people aged 15 and above, with an average age of 42. Notably, none of the participants had cancer at the start of the study.
During the study period, participants regularly recorded what they ate using detailed 24-hour food diaries over an average period of 7.5 years. Meanwhile, cancer cases were tracked using health surveys and official medical and death records until December 31, 2023.
On the other side, the researchers analyzed 17 different preservatives, including citric acid, lecithins, sulfites, sodium nitrite, potassium sorbate, and potassium nitrate, which were grouped into two types: non-antioxidants, which prevent the growth of microbes or slow food spoilage, and antioxidants, which help stop food from deteriorating by limiting oxygen exposure.
At the end of the study, 4,226 participants were diagnosed with cancer, which included 1,208 cases of breast cancer, 508 prostate cancers, 352 colorectal cancers, and 2,158 other types.
However, the researchers stressed that since it is an observational study, it does not prove that preservatives cause cancer. Still, they believe that the findings could be used as evidence in the ongoing debate about the health impact of food preservatives.
'This study brings new insights for the future re-evaluation of the safety of these food additives by health agencies, considering the balance between benefit and risk for food preservation and cancer,' the authors concluded.
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