Overview
- In the NutriNet-Santé cohort of 108,723 French adults followed from 2009 to 2023, 1,131 new cases of type 2 diabetes were recorded.
- Participants with the highest preservative exposure had a 47% higher incidence of type 2 diabetes versus the lowest exposure group, rising to 49% for non-antioxidant preservatives and 40% for antioxidant additives.
- Fifty-eight preservatives were detected in participants’ diets, and higher intake of 12 individual compounds—E202, E224, E250, E260, E262, E282, E301, E307, E316, E330, E338 and E392—was associated with increased risk.
- Exposure was estimated from repeated 24-hour branded food diaries cross-referenced with Open Food Facts, Oqali and EFSA databases, with analyses adjusting for sociodemographics, lifestyle factors and diet quality.
- Authors caution that causality is not established and urge replication and potential regulatory review, recommending a shift toward fresh, minimally processed foods.