Overview
- Published in Nature Communications, the NutriNet-Santé cohort analysis of 108,723 adults recorded 1,131 new type 2 diabetes cases between 2009 and 2023.
- Participants with the highest overall preservative intake had about a 47% higher incidence of type 2 diabetes compared with the lowest consumers.
- Risk rose by 49% for non-antioxidant preservatives and by 40% for antioxidant additives when examined by category.
- Twelve commonly consumed additives were individually linked to higher risk, including potassium sorbate (E202), sodium nitrite (E250), calcium propionate (E282), sodium ascorbate (E301), citric acid (E330) and phosphoric acid (E338).
- Authors caution the findings are observational, urge replication and regulatory review, and advise favoring fresh, minimally processed foods.