By Jakob Demmitt, Student Pharmacist and Karen Kier, Pharmacist 
ONU HealthWise team

The idiom “well-preserved” describes something or someone who remains in good condition despite their age. It is often a way to say someone does not look their age in a positive way. 

Can food preservatives to maintain freshness not be the best way to preserve our health?

Type 2 diabetes is a major global health issue that is growing in numbers. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body develops a resistance to insulin secreted by the body and blood sugars begin to rise. The pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin to control the blood sugars and type 2 diabetes can result. In the early stages of developing insulin resistance, individuals will not necessarily realize the body is changing.  This stage is known as prediabetes and is best diagnosed with laboratory testing.  

It is estimated that 41 million individuals in the United States have type 2 diabetes with another 11 million having type 2 diabetes who have not been diagnosed. In addition, 115.2 million individuals have prediabetes. 

In response, researchers and healthcare professionals have grown increasingly interested in how everyday dietary exposures may contribute to this growing condition. One major area of concern is the use of preservatives, which are added to foods to extend shelf-life and prevent spoilage.

In a published study in Nature, researchers looked to see if exposure to certain food additives could lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. They tracked the intake of many different food preservatives via food diaries in over 108,000 adults in France over 14 years. After the 14-year period, around 1% of the participants developed type 2 diabetes. Among these individuals, the researchers found many similarities in the types of food additives they were consuming in their everyday lives.

What the researchers found was that there are approximately 13 widely used preservative food additives that show a higher risk in developing diabetes when consumed on a regular basis. These preservatives included potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium nitrite, acetic, citric and phosphoric acids, sodium acetates, calcium propionate, sodium ascorbate, alpha-tocopherol, sodium erythorbate and rosemary extracts. These additives are mainly found in highly processed foods such as shredded cheese, hot dogs, processed meats, sandwich bread, bagels, cakes, pastries, flavored yogurts and wine.

Since the majority of these additives are found in highly processed foods, it is recommended that people choose to eat fresh or minimally processed foods as much as possible. Examples of these are fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh herbs such as basil and parsley, and fresh meats that are not breaded or seasoned.

Overall, modifying your diet to consist of more fresh food, while limiting foods high in preservatives such as processed meats, is key to a healthy lifestyle. The newly announced Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 (https://realfood.gov/) recommends the reduction in highly processed foods and restricting artificial additives in our diets.

It is important to note that this study was an observational study design so it provides some guidance for future research and understanding.  The study demonstrates an association between food additives and diabetes, but it does not prove cause and effect.  Research is always ongoing to provide the best evidence for our health. 

Being well-preserved as a food item may not be good for our health!