The latest research! This food additive may increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, hidden in these foods...

Ice cream is delicious and refreshing, and is loved by adults and children. Although everyone knows that most ice creams are high in sugar and fat, which may increase the prevalence of diabetes and hyperlipidemia, they are delicious. Some people still have a fluke mentality, thinking that as long as they choose ice cream that is not so sweet and has a relatively low fat content, they can "satisfy their cravings and be healthy." However, a recent study published in the top academic journal The Lancet found that it is not just the added sugar in ice cream that increases the risk of diabetes, but also a type of food additive called emulsifiers.

The study investigated and analyzed more than 100,000 people, and the results showed that there was a positive correlation between various food emulsifiers and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, but the degree varied, ranging from about 3% to 15% . Among them, the emulsifier that increased the risk of type 2 diabetes the most was tripotassium phosphate . If 500 mg was consumed per day, the risk of type 2 diabetes could increase by 15%[1].

Food additive emulsifiers and risk of type 2 diabetes: analysis of data from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study. Image source: Reference [1]

What is an emulsifier?

Why do we add emulsifiers to food?

Emulsifiers are a type of food additive that helps water and oil mix evenly . Water and oil are not miscible, but since the structure of emulsifiers has both hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends, the hydrophilic end faces the water phase and the hydrophobic end faces the oil phase, which can change the surface tension between the water phase and the oil phase, allowing the water and oil in the food to "hold hands", helping the water and oil in the food to disperse finely and evenly, forming a stable emulsion.

For example, when we cook fish soup for a long enough time, we can make a milky fish soup. This is actually because fish glue, a natural emulsifier, plays a role in the fish soup, allowing the fat in the fish meat to be distributed delicately and evenly in the soup.

For the modern food industry, emulsifiers are "indispensable" in the production of many pre-packaged foods. They can not only improve the appearance and taste of food, but also improve the texture of food and extend its shelf life.

Friends who have made bread at home will have this experience: no matter how soft and fluffy the bread is when it comes out of the oven, as long as it cools down after a few hours, the volume will easily become smaller, it will also fall apart, and the taste will deteriorate. Adding emulsifiers can keep the bread soft and fluffy for a longer period of time, which is one of the reasons why we think the bread in the bakery is more tempting.

There are two types of emulsifiers commonly used in the food manufacturing industry: natural emulsifiers extracted from natural foods and artificial synthetic emulsifiers.

In addition to the fish glue mentioned above, natural emulsifiers include pectin which is widely found in fruits, lecithin extracted from eggs, liver, peanuts , etc. There are more types of synthetic emulsifiers, such as polysorbates, monoglycerides, diglycerides, polyglycerol esters, tripotassium phosphate, carboxymethyl cellulose, etc., which are common in food ingredient lists. They are found in baked goods such as ice cream, margarine, candy, jelly, chocolate, bread, cakes, as well as processed meats, mayonnaise and other sauces.

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The impact of emulsifiers on health has always been a concern.

As mentioned earlier, the intake of emulsifiers may increase the risk of diabetes. Researchers believe that this may be related to the fact that emulsifiers disrupt intestinal flora, aggravate intestinal inflammation levels, and cause an increase in anti-insulin antibodies [3].

In addition, an animal experiment in Spain also found that consuming too much food containing emulsifiers during pregnancy or lactation may lead to cognitive and psychological disorders in offspring[2]. Another prospective cohort study in France found that the intake of multiple emulsifiers was significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease[4]. This may be related to the negative effects of emulsifiers on blood circulation and blood sugar metabolism.

Some readers may ask, does this mean that foods containing emulsifiers can no longer be eaten?

In fact, there is no need to worry too much.

It should be noted that the conclusions of scientific research need to be verified and do not represent consensus or standards . The above-mentioned studies are still subject to further verification. The Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations also conducts safety evaluations on food emulsifiers used in countries around the world. The results show that most of these emulsifiers are very safe. As long as they are used strictly in accordance with the varieties, scope of use and dosage specified in the national standard "Standards for the Use of Food Additives" (2760-2014), there is no food safety risk.

However, foods such as cakes, snacks, candies, chocolates, processed meats, etc. themselves have health risks such as high oil, high sugar, high fat, and contain nitrites. Even if it is not because of emulsifiers, it is recommended to control daily intake and frequency for health reasons.

Want food to look good, smell good, and taste good

These methods can also

In home cooking, we can use some "natural emulsifiers" or other ingredients that can play an "emulsifying" role to improve the color, aroma and taste of food.

For example, when making mousse cake, you can add isinja (gelatin sheets) to make the liquid mixed with milk/yogurt/cream and other ingredients more evenly mixed, and solidify into shape after cooling.

For example, if you want to make milky white fish soup or pork rib soup, you can add pure milk or pure soy milk to the soup. They are not only white in color, but also play a certain emulsifying role, allowing the oil and water in the soup to combine stably, showing a milky white color.

If you want to make delicious homemade ice cream without ice crystals, you can add an appropriate amount of egg yolks (only egg yolks, not egg whites) and use the natural emulsifier lecithin in them to make the ice cream taste more delicate and residue-free. You can also add a small amount of light cream to get a dense and silky taste.

References

[1]Clara Salame, Guillaume Javaux, Laury Sellem, et al. Food additive emulsifiers and the risk of type 2 diabetes: analysis of data from the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort study[J], The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology,Volume 12, Issue 5,2024,339-349.

[2]Milà-Guasch M, Ramírez S, Llana SR, Fos-Domènech J, Dropmann LM, et al. Maternal emulsifier consumption programs offspring metabolic and neuropsychological health in mice. PLOS Biology 2023,21(8): e3002171.

[3]Delaroque C, Chassaing B. Dietary emulsifier consumption accelerates type 1 diabetes development in NOD mice. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2024 Jan 6;10(1):1.

[4]Sellem L, Srour B, Javaux G, et al. Food additive emulsifiers and risk of cardiovascular disease in the NutriNet-Santé cohort: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2023 Sep 6;382:e076058.

Planning and production

Author: Wang Lu, registered dietitian

Review丨Zhang Yu, researcher/PhD, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, national health science expert

Planning丨Yang Yaping

Editor: Yang Yaping

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin