The Disadvantages Of Food Preservatives

Preservatives serve as antimicrobial agents that prevent the formation of mold, yeast and bacteria. They also prevent foods from rancidity, allowing food products a shelf life. However, preservatives have been linked to negative health outcomes in scientific literature. Preservatives can be transformed into harmful substances after consumption. For example, preservatives can become carcinogens.

ADHD

Although the findings have been mixed, there is evidence that food preservatives are associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In fact, a preservative-free diet is a popular treatment method for children suffering from ADHD. Researchers suspect that preservatives like benzoate nitrates and MSG, a flavor enhancer common in Chinese dishes, may make the symptoms of ADHD worse, according to an article published in 2008 in "The Journal of Alternative and Contemporary Medicine."

Stomach Cancer

Sodium nitrites are a type of preservative frequently used to preserve salted and smoked meats as well as pickled vegetables. A study published in July 2006 in the "World Journal of Gastroenterology" found that the consumption of nitrite and nitrosamine-containing food products was linked to gastric cancer in a significant proportion of the current published studies. The effects of preservatives are likely worsened by the presence of salt in a product. Salt leads to inflammation in the stomach that causes damage to the protective stomach mucosa. This makes the stomach more susceptible to harm by cancer-causing agents.

Esophageal Cancer

Although the evidence is scarce and conflicting, there is some evidence for the role of nitrites and nitrosamine in esophageal cancer in humans, according to the July 2006 "World Journal of Gastroenterology" article. According to the researchers, studies have also found these preservatives used in vegetable products to be related to tumors in over 40 different species of animals. So, it is reasonable to suspect similar outcomes in humans.

Studies have also linked preservatives to cancer in human participants. Nan'ao County in Guangdong Province, a part of southern China, has a higher prevalence rate for esophageal cancer than the remainder of China, according to a study published in November 2002 in the "International Journal of Cancer." The researchers suspect that this elevated risk for cancer in this area is attributed to nitrosamines, because the standard diet in this area is higher in these preservatives than in other parts of China.