Artificial Additives in Our Food, Are They Causing Health Problems?

photorandy2023

2 years ago

I have written several articles healthcare issues. A series of links have been provided at the bottom of this article for your convenience.

Artificial food additives can be controversial, but they aren’t as scary as they may sound.

As their name suggests, artificial food additives are synthetic ingredients added to food to enhance its color or flavor, extend its shelf life, or improve it in some way.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ensures that all food additives on the market are safe for use. Still, you may wonder whether you’re better off limiting your intake of these ingredients.

This article explains all you need to know about artificial food additives, including their safety, uses, and potential health risks, as well as helpful tips to reduce your intake if that’s important to you.

What are artificial food additives?

Artificial food additives are synthetic ingredients, meaning they are not naturally derived, added to food to enhance its appearance, texture, taste, and freshness (1Trusted Source).

Types of food additives

The FDA uses the following two categories of food additives (1Trusted Source):

Direct. These are added for a specific purpose, such as texture, leavening, binding, or color. For example, aspartame is a popular artificial sweetener used to improve the taste of sodas and low calorie or sugar-free foods.
Indirect. These may become part of food in trace amounts due to packaging, storage, or other handling practices. In this case, manufacturers must ensure all packaging materials are safe for use.

For the most part, direct food additives are the focus of concern for consumers. These can be further categorized into the following two categories (1Trusted Source):

Natural. Natural additives are derived from a natural food source. For example, red beets are used to produce natural red food coloring, while soybeans and corn are used to make lecithin — a type of emulsifier — to bind ingredients.
Artificial. Artificial additives are not derived from nature. For example, most vanilla extracts are made from vanillin, which is produced in a lab.

Both natural and artificial food additives must meet strict regulatory and safety guidelines to be approved for use in food.

Types of food they’re commonly found in

Artificial food additives are found in many popular foods, such as yogurts, breads, salad dressings, sodas, baked goods, chips, protein bars, and other processed foods.

In fact, many foods on grocery store shelves contain either natural or artificial food additives in some form. Some foods may contain emulsifiers, while others may contain sweeteners or food colorings.

Unless a food is completely unprocessed, such as an apple, be sure to read the label if you’re concerned about any food additives.

Why they’re added to foods

Many food products contain emulsifiers, stabilizers, or thickeners to improve the quality of the product. These additives help bind ingredients, such as oil and water, to produce a more uniform texture and appearance.

A food may also have artificial additives to improve its nutritional composition. For example, synthetic ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and folic acid (a synthetic form of folate) are commonly added to foods because they’re more stable than their natural counterparts.

Finally, food manufacturers may choose to use artificial food additives, as they are usually lower in cost than natural food additives.

SUMMARY

Artificial food additives are synthetic ingredients added to food to enhance its appearance, texture, taste, shelf life, freshness, and nutrition. They’re found in many foods, such as breads, baked goods, yogurts, salad dressings, chips, and beverages.

Potential effects of eating artificial ingredients

Despite the strict safety protocols that artificial food additives undergo, consumers may worry about these ingredients’ long-term health effects.

Gut health

To date, there’s little evidence that artificial food additives approved for use by the FDA harm your gut health or digestion.

That said, the increase in gut disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease, and gut dysbiosis, along with the rise of highly processed foods, has led many to wonder whether there is a connection between gut health and artificial food additives.

Some preliminary research in mice suggests that the consumption of artificial sweeteners may lower gut bacteria diversity and theoretically lead to digestive issues — though no research directly ties artificial food additives to poor gut health in humans.

Keep in mind that the human microbiome greatly differs from animals, which may lead to differences in how artificial sweeteners are metabolized.

As well, most of these studies are not well controlled and use significantly higher doses than those the average human would consume. Therefore, more research is needed.

Also, some mice studies have shown that polysorbate 80 (an emulsifier) and titanium dioxide (a food coloring) may lead to alterations in gut microbiome diversity. Particularly, the increase in sulfate-reducing bacteria may exacerbate IBS symptoms.

However, it’s unknown if these effects apply to humans, who have different digestive systems than mice. Long-term human studies are needed to fully understand artificial food additives’ effects on human health.

If you believe you may be sensitive to certain food additives, it’s best to work with a healthcare professional who specializes in digestive disorders.

Weight gain

Artificial sweeteners are popular food additives, but while some use them as a solution to a high sugar diet, others believe they may do more harm than good.

Also known as nonnutritive sweeteners, artificial sweeteners contain zero calories but add sweetness to food and beverages. Popular varieties include aspartame, acesulfame K, saccharin, and sucralose.

Despite containing zero calories, it’s thought that artificial sweeteners may contribute to weight gain by altering the gut microbiome, leading to changes in metabolism and hormone regulation.

However, most artificial sweeteners do not reach the lower intestine where the gut microbiome exists. Therefore, it’s unlikely that artificial sweeteners would change the gut microbiome, and no studies have shown that artificial sweeteners cause weight gain.

In fact, one study found no difference in gut bacteria colonies when human users consumed a normal amount (within the acceptable daily intake recommendations) of artificial sweeteners.

Additionally, some theorize that artificial sweeteners may not signal the release of hunger-regulating hormones in the same manner as sugar, leading to increased hunger and food intake .

That said, associations are not the same as cause and effect. In many cases, other confounding factors (e.g., total dietary intake, history of dieting, and physical activity) can also influence weight gain or weight loss.

Additionally, results can vary depending on the study design and which external factors are controlled. Because of these variations, there has been a great deal of conflicting research.

For example, a number of cross-sectional human studies show a dose-dependent association between artificial sweetener intake and body mass index (BMI), yet numerous clinical trials and meta-analyses have shown artificial sweeteners may aid weight loss.

Additionally, a recent meta-analysis in the British Medical Journal showed no relationship between artificial sweetener consumption and BMI. The authors concluded that higher quality, long-term studies are needed.

All in all, continued research is warranted.

Cancer

Some artificial food additives may be associated with a higher risk of certain types of cancer.

In particular, a diet high in nitrites and nitrates, which are commonly found in processed meats, has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer.

In 2015, the World Health Organization classified processed meat as carcinogenic to humans due to increased research showing a dose-dependent relationship between processed meat consumption and colorectal cancer risk.

Bisphenol A (BPA), an additive commonly found in food packaging, has also been linked to an increased risk of cancer and endocrine disruption. Though now banned in baby products, it can still be found in some water bottles, cans, and other packaging.

Limited research directly connects other food additives to an increased risk of cancer. However, a highly processed diet is associated with a higher risk of cancer overall, though it’s unclear whether food additives play a role in this.

The most effective strategies for reducing your cancer risk include avoiding smoking, limiting your alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy body weight, staying active, and following a nutritious diet high in fiber, fruits, and vegetables.

Children’s health

Some consumers wonder whether certain artificial food additives, such as food colorings, lead to hyperactivity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.

Artificial food colorings and flavorings are used to enhance the look and taste of many food products, especially those catered to children. Though natural options exist, artificial colors and flavors are usually used due to their vibrancy and low cost.

Though many groups and diets, such as the Feingold diet, claim that artificial food additives cause behavioral issues or neurodevelopmental disorders in children, little research supports this.

However, BPA is an endocrine disruptor that may lead to developmental issues in growing infants. As such, it has been banned in baby bottles, sippy cups, and packages containing infant formulas. Look for products that say “BPA-free” on the label.

SUMMARY

Most artificial food additives are safe for adults and children to consume. Those that have been shown to harm human health are banned or strictly regulated by the FDA.

Should you limit artificial ingredients?

For most people, it is nearly impossible to completely avoid artificial ingredients, since most food products contain them. Fortunately, you do not need to avoid them completely to live a healthy lifestyle.

Most artificial food additives are not harmful to human health, and those that do pose health risks are banned or limited by the FDA.

Instead of trying to completely eliminate artificial food additives from your diet, focus on consuming a diet of whole, minimally processed foods, which will naturally lower your intake.

If you feel that certain artificial food additives cause unwanted side effects for you, discuss this with a healthcare professional. They may recommend reducing or eliminating certain ingredients.

SUMMARY

You do not need to eliminate artificial food additives to live a healthy lifestyle. Instead, it’s best to focus on consuming mostly minimally processed foods and only limit or eliminate foods that bother you.

Tips for reducing your intake

If you’re looking to reduce your intake of artificial food additives, here are some helpful tips:

Read the label. By law, food manufacturers are required to list all direct food additives (natural and artificial).
Be aware of different names and terms. Some food additives have more than one name. For example, Splenda is the brand name for sucralose, an artificial sweetener.
Eat whole, minimally processed foods. The best way to reduce your intake is to eat whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and lean meats.
Drink water. Choosing water is an easy way to reduce your intake of artificial sweeteners that are commonly found in sodas, energy drinks, and other beverages.
Avoid an all-or-nothing approach. Completely eliminating artificial food additives is difficult and may not be sustainable. Instead, making small changes to your eating pattern can help reduce your intake in a more manageable way.

SUMMARY

By being a conscious consumer, you can make informed decisions surrounding the artificial food additives you choose to eat.

The bottom line

Artificial food additives are tough to avoid. In fact, they’re found in most foods in the grocery store.

Most research shows that artificial food additives approved by the FDA are safe for use. That said, more human research will help us better understand their long-term role in human health.

Rather than cutting them out completely, you can take simple steps, such as eating mostly whole, minimally processed foods and learning to read food labels, to reduce your intake

Food additives are chemicals added to foods to keep them fresh or to enhance their colour, flavour or texture. They may include food colourings (such as tartrazine or cochineal), flavour enhancers (such as MSG) or a range of preservatives.

Most food additives are listed on the product label, along with other ingredients, in a descending order by weight (flavours are an exception and do not need to be identified). Sometimes, the additive is spelt out in full. At other times, it is represented by a code number: for example, cochineal may be listed as Colouring (120); sodium sulphite may be shown as Preservative (221).

Safety tests for food additives

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is responsible for the approval of which food additives are allowed in Australian foods. All food additives used in Australia undergo a safety assessment, which includes rigorous testing, before they are approved.

Toxicological tests on animals are used to determine the amount of the additive that is expected to be safe when consumed by humans. This is usually an amount 100 times less than the maximum daily dose at which ‘no observable effects’ are produced by an additive consumed over the test animal’s lifetime.

If there is any doubt over the safety of an additive, approval is not given. If new scientific information becomes available suggesting that a food additive is no longer safe, the approval to use the food additive would be withdrawn.

Most food additives are tested in isolation, rather than in combination with other additives. The long-term effects of consuming a combination of different additives are currently unknown.

Effects of food additives

Some people are sensitive to particular food additives and may have reactions like hives or diarrhoea. This doesn’t mean that all foods containing additives need to be automatically treated with suspicion. All foods are made up of chemicals and food additives are not always ‘less safe’ than naturally occuring chemicals.

Many of the food additives used by the food industry also occur naturally within foods that people eat every day. For example, MSG is found naturally in parmesan cheese, sardines and tomato in significantly greater quantities than the MSG present as a food additive. People with food allergies and intolerances are also often sensitive to chemicals found naturally in certain foods, such as nuts or shellfish.

Many people view food additives as a major food threat. However, in terms of health risk, food additives would come in at the end of the line, after food-borne microorganisms (like salmonella), inappropriate hygiene and eating habits, environmental contaminants and naturally occurring toxins.

Types of food additives

The different types of food additive and their uses include:

Anti-caking agents – stop ingredients from becoming lumpy.
Antioxidants – prevent foods from oxidising, or going rancid.
Artificial sweeteners – increase the sweetness.
Emulsifiers – stop fats from clotting together.
Food acids – maintain the right acid level.
Colours – enhance or add colour.
Humectants – keep foods moist.
Flavours – add flavour.
Flavour enhancers – increase the power of a flavour.
Foaming agents – maintain uniform aeration of gases in foods.
Mineral salts – enhance texture and flavour.
Preservatives – stop microbes from multiplying and spoiling the food.
Thickeners and vegetable gums – enhance texture and consistency.
Stabilisers and firming agents – maintain even food dispersion.
Flour treatment – improves baking quality.
Glazing agent – improves appearance and can protect food.
Gelling agents – alter the texture of foods through gel formation.
Propellants – help propel food from a container.
Raising agents – increase the volume of food through the use of gases.
Bulking agents – increase the volume of food without major changes to its available energy.

Food additives and processed foods

There is a common misconception that processed foods automatically contain food additives. Foods like long-life milk, canned foods and frozen foods are all processed, yet none of them need extra chemicals.

If you are unsure whether or not a product contains an additive, check the label. However, some listed ingredients may contain food additives without mentioning them on the label. For instance, ‘margarine’ might be a listed ingredient and margarine contains food additives.

Some food additives can cause reactions

For most people, additives are not a problem in the short term. However, 50 of the 400 currently approved additives in Australia have been associated with adverse reactions in some people. Some food additives are more likely than others to cause reactions in sensitive people.

It is often the additives that are used to give a food a marketable quality, such as colour, that most commonly cause allergic reactions. Some of these hypersensitive reactions include:

Digestive disorders – diarrhoea and colicky pains
Nervous disorders – hyperactivity, insomnia and irritability
Respiratory problems – asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis
Skin problems – hives, itching, rashes and swelling.

It is important to realise that many of the symptoms experienced as a result of food sensitivities can be caused by other disorders. Medical diagnosis is important. If you try to diagnose yourself, you may restrict your diet unnecessarily and neglect an illness.

Some common food additives that may cause problems

Some food additives that may cause problems for some people include:

Flavour enhancers – monosodium glutamate (MSG) 621
Food colourings – tartrazine 102; yellow 2G107; sunset yellow FCF110; cochineal 120
Preservatives – benzoates 210, 211, 212, 213; nitrates 249, 250, 251, 252; sulphites 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225 and 228
Artificial sweetener – aspartame 951.

Diagnosing food additive sensitivity

If you think you may have a food additive sensitivity, it’s important to seek professional help since all of the symptoms you may be experiencing can also be caused by other disorders.

It may help to keep a food diary and note carefully any adverse reactions. In the case of a sensitivity being identified, the usual practice is to eliminate all suspect foods from the diet and then reintroduce them one by one to see which additive (or additives) causes the reaction. This should only be done under medical supervision, since some of the reactions – such as asthma – can be serious.

Are These 10 Artificial Food Additives Harmful to Your Health?

10 Food Additives Linked to Health Concerns

Food additives are substances that are added to foods to improve their taste, appearance, texture, and shelf life. While some food additives are harmless, others can be dangerous and may pose potential health risks to humans. With the increasing consumption of processed foods worldwide, the use of unsafe food additives has become a major concern for consumers and health experts alike.

Countries and states across the world have taken measures to ban or limit the use of certain food additives in order to protect consumers’ health. For instance, Denmark has banned the use of trans fats in foods since 2004, and several other European countries have followed suit.

In the United States, California requires warning labels on products that contain certain chemicals, such as lead and cadmium, which are known to cause cancer and other health problems. Additionally, some countries, including Norway and Austria, have imposed limits on the amount of caffeine that can be added to soft drinks, while others, such as Brazil and Mexico, have banned the use of artificial sweeteners in baby foods.

These actions demonstrate a growing recognition of the potential health risks associated with certain food additives and a commitment to safeguarding public health.

Let’s take a look at ten food additives that could potentially harm human health, backed up by research studies.

1. Artificial Sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners are used as a sugar substitute in various foods and drinks. Research suggests that artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose can cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea in some people. Furthermore, studies show that long-term consumption of artificial sweeteners may increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

2. Artificial Food Dye: Artificial food dyes are used to enhance the appearance of processed foods and beverages. While most food dyes are considered safe, some have been linked to potential health risks. For example, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40, and Blue 1 are commonly used food dyes that have been associated with hyperactivity, behavioral problems, and allergic reactions in children. Additionally, studies suggest that Red 3 may increase the risk of tumors in animals. To avoid potential health risks associated with food dyes, it is advisable to consume whole foods and limit processed foods and beverages that contain artificial dyes.

3. Sodium Nitrite: Sodium nitrite is used to preserve meat and give it a pink color. Studies suggest that the consumption of sodium nitrite may increase the risk of cancer, particularly colon and stomach cancer.

4. BHA and BHT: Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are antioxidants used to prevent spoilage in processed foods. Research suggests that BHA and BHT may cause cancer in animals, and studies on humans are inconclusive.

5. Propylene Glycol: Propylene glycol is used as a humectant to keep foods moist and as a solvent for food coloring. Studies have linked propylene glycol consumption to kidney and liver damage, seizures, and respiratory issues.

6. Carrageenan: Carrageenan is a thickening agent used in dairy products, salad dressings, and processed foods. Studies suggest that carrageenan may cause inflammation, intestinal damage, and cancer in animals.

7. Sodium Benzoate: Sodium Benzoate is a preservative used in acidic foods like soft drinks and fruit juices. Studies suggest that sodium benzoate may cause hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children.

8. Potassium Bromate: Potassium bromate is used to strengthen dough and enhance bread’s texture. Studies suggest that the consumption of potassium bromate may increase the risk of kidney and thyroid cancer.

9. Titanium Dioxide: Titanium dioxide is used as a whitening agent in food and drink products. Studies suggest that titanium dioxide may cause DNA and cell damage, which could increase the risk of cancer.

10. High-Fructose Corn Syrup: High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener used in processed foods, soft drinks, and desserts. Studies suggest that consumption of HFCS may increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

How to Avoid Food Additives in Your Diet

One of the best ways to avoid food additives in your diet is to eat more whole, unprocessed foods. These include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy products. When you buy packaged foods, be sure to read the labels carefully and look for products that are free from artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. You can also choose organic or non-GMO foods, which are typically free from synthetic additives. Cooking your meals from scratch is another great way to avoid food additives, as you can control exactly what goes into your dishes and make them as healthy and delicious as possible.

Another tip for avoiding food additives is to choose alternatives to processed snacks and beverages. For example, instead of reaching for a bag of chips or a soda, try snacking on raw veggies with hummus or drinking water infused with fruit or herbs. You can also make your own snacks, like homemade granola bars or energy bites, using natural sweeteners like honey or dates instead of processed sugars. By making these small changes to your diet, you can reduce your intake of harmful food additives and improve your overall health and well-being.

Where Can You Learn More?

As trainers, health coaches and consumers, it is essential to be aware of the food additives present in the products we consume and to make informed choices to ensure our well-being.

There is always something exciting about earning a new training or coaching certification and applying that new knowledge of how you train your clients. If this topic is interesting to you, and you’d like to make a great living helping other people improve their health and nutrition, here are your top choices for professional training.

The 12 Worst Food Additives—And How You Can Avoid Them

Every time you roll your cart down a supermarket aisle, you might be choosing food with questionable additives. The Environmental Working Group has come up with a list of the worst offenders, a dirty dozen of additives that belong in the hall of shame.

Many frozen foods and pre-made meals contain artificial ingredients. Preservatives extend the foods’ shelf life, while sweeteners and flavorings make cheaply produced ingredients taste better. Ever looked at the ingredient list on a box of cereal or a container of ice cream? Companies are banking on the fact that you won’t read it or care.

There is an alternative: Thanks to consumer pressure, wholesome, organic foods are more readily available than ever. But health food doesn’t come cheap—health food stores (even big-box players!) can charge sky-high prices for foods produced without additives, preservatives, and GMOs. One way to beat the system? Cut out the middleman. Our new company, Thrive Market, is shaking things up with a membership model that offers healthy food and wellness products at a deep discount. Get two months of free membership here.

Nitrites and nitrates

Found in: Jerky and preserved meats
Worry because: Studies have linked them to stomach cancer, and they’ve been labeled “probable human carcinogens”
The alternative: Nitrate-free jerky, like the New Primal or EPIC

Potassium bromate

Found in: Breads and crackers
Worry because: Listed as a known carcinogen by California, and studies have shown it causes tumors in animals
The alternative: Natural, preservative-free breads and snacks such as Mary’s Gone Crackers

Propyl paraben

Found in: Many bath and body products and some foods
Worry because: Disrupts the endocrine system and acts as a weak, synthetic estrogen. Studies have shown rats fed propyl paraben had decreased sperm counts.
The alternative: Look for paraben-free foods and bath products.

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Found in: Potato chips and preserved meats
Worry because: California lists this chemical as a known carcinogen. Evidence shows that BHA causes tumors in animals. The European Union classifies BHA as an endocrine disruptor.
The alternative: Shop for all-natural snacks and chips containing only ingredients you recognize.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)

Found in: Added to many types of food as a preservative.
Worry because: Studies have shown BHT causes lung tumors in rats
The alternative: Always check ingredient labels, and choose natural and organic foods whenever possible.

Propyl gallate

Found in: Extends the shelf life of products with edible fats, like sausage
Worry because: Studies have reported an association between this chemical and tumors in rats. Suspected endocrine disruptor.
The alternative: Look for natural meats containing only ingredients you recognize.

Theobromine

Found in: Bread, cereal, and sports drinks
Worry because: The possible reproductive and developmental effects of theobromine were never satisfactorily explained to the FDA.
The alternative: Check the labels on everything, and buy natural cereals without additives.

Secret flavor ingredients

Found in: Almost every different type of food
Worry because: Customers have no idea what chemicals are included in these “flavors,” which can contain a number of solvents and preservatives.
The alternative: Shop Thrive Market’s catalog of foods free of artificial ingredients, and always check the ingredient list.

Artificial colors

Used in: Almost every different type of food
Worry because: Some studies have shown artificial colors can cause hyperactivity and behavioral issues in children.
The alternative: Shop Thrive Market’s collection of natural foods free from dyes and color additives.

Diacetyl

Found in: Butter flavoring in microwaveable popcorn, flavoring in yogurt and cheese, and maple flavoring
Worry because: Associated with bronchiolitis obliterans in workers, an irreversible respiratory illness
The alternative: Opt for a natural popcorn, organic cheese and yogurt, and pure maple syrup.

Phosphate food additives

Found in: Packaged baked goods, preserved meats, and other heavily processed foods
Worry because: Phosphates have been linked to heart disease and high blood pressure. They’re especially dangerous to people with kidney disease.
The alternative: Always read the list of ingredients on your food, and shop for organic products whenever possible.

Aluminum

Used in: Many processed foods
Worry because: Aluminum has been linked to developmental problems in pregnant animals, and may be associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders.
The alternative: Always read the list of ingredients on your food, and shop for organic products whenever possible.

Why is it that products with lots of chemicals and processing cost less than whole, organic foods? It’s simple. Right now, 10 major food companies control nearly all of the conventional brands you see in grocery stores. These huge corporations have gobbled up smaller brands, and they’ve concocted new ways to produce more food at lower costs. The economy of scale means they can crank out high volume. But consumers pay with another precious commodity: their health.

At Thrive Market we’re trying to radically change the status quo, offering GMO-free, non-toxic food and home products at the same price as conventional options for the first time in history. By being a part of our site, making your purchases with us, and sharing us with your friends, you’re contributing to a meaningful paradigm shift.

More than 900 chemicals, many found in consumer products and the environment, display breast-cancer causing traits

With tens of thousands of synthetic chemicals on the market, and new ones in development all the time, knowing which ones might be harmful is a challenge both for the federal agencies that regulate them and the companies that use them in products. Now scientists have found a quick way to predict if a chemical is likely to cause breast cancer based on whether the chemical harbors specific traits.

“This new study provides a roadmap for regulators and manufacturers to quickly flag chemicals that could contribute to breast cancer in order to prevent their use in consumer products and find safer alternatives,” says lead author Dr. Jennifer Kay, a research scientist at Silent Spring Institute.

Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. Recent data show rates increasing in young women, a trend that can’t be explained by genetics. “We need new tools to identify environmental exposures that could be contributing to this trend so we can develop prevention strategies and reduce the burden of the disease,” says Kay.

Hormone signals

Kay and her colleagues searched through multiple international and U.S. government databases to identify chemicals that have been found to cause mammary tumors in animals. The databases were from the International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC), the National Toxicology Program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Cancer Institute, among others.

The researchers also looked at data from EPA’s ToxCast program to identify chemicals that alter the body’s hormones, or endocrine disruptors, in ways that could promote breast cancer. The team looked specifically for chemicals that activate the estrogen receptor—a receptor present in breast cells—as well as chemicals that cause cells to make more estrogen or progesterone, an established risk factor for breast cancer.

Reporting in Environmental Health Perspectives, the researchers identified a total of 921 chemicals* that could promote the development of breast cancer. Ninety percent of the chemicals are ones that people are commonly exposed to in consumer products, food and drink, pesticides, medications, and workplaces.

A breakdown of the list revealed 278 chemicals that cause mammary tumors in animals. More than half of the chemicals cause cells to make more estrogen or progesterone, and about a third activate the estrogen receptor. “Breast cancer is a hormonal disease, so the fact that so many chemicals can alter estrogen and progesterone is concerning,” says Kay.

Since damage to DNA can also trigger cancer, the researchers searched additional databases and found 420 of the chemicals on their list both damage DNA and alter hormones, which could make them riskier. What’s more, the team’s analysis found that chemicals that cause mammary tumors in animals are more likely to have these DNA damaging and hormone-disrupting characteristics than ones that don’t.

“Historically, chemicals that cause mammary tumors in animals were seen as the best predictor of whether they might cause breast cancer in humans,” says co-author Ruthann Rudel, director of research at Silent Spring. “But animal studies are expensive and time consuming, which is why so many chemicals have not been tested. Our findings show that screening chemicals for these hormonal traits could be an effective strategy for flagging potential breast carcinogens.”

A roadmap for safety

Over the past decade, there has been growing evidence that environmental chemicals are important contributing factors in the development of cancer. A number of studies in people have found links between breast cancer and pesticides, hair dyes, and air pollution. Other studies suggest exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals early in life, in the womb or during puberty, can alter breast development in ways that could increase the risk of cancer later on.

To observe those associations, however, scientists have to wait until hundreds or thousands of children and women have been exposed to a chemical and check, often many years later, to see who develops breast cancer. “It’s not feasible, nor is it ethical, to wait that long,” says Rudel. “And it’s another reason why we need better tools for predicting which chemicals are likely to lead to breast cancer so we can avoid those exposures.”

The Silent Spring study could have implications for how EPA assesses chemicals for safety. For instance, the chemicals identified in the study include more than 30 pesticides that EPA previously approved for use despite evidence linking the chemicals with mammary tumors.

This fall, EPA proposed a new strategic plan to ensure that pesticides are evaluated for their effects on hormones. The study authors hope their new comprehensive list of breast cancer-relevant chemicals, which includes hundreds of endocrine disruptors, will inform EPA’s plan and better protect the public from harmful exposures.

Resources

healthline.com, “Are Artificial Food Additives Harmful to Your Health?” By Katey Davidson; betterhealth.vic.gov, “Food additives.”; thrivemarket.com, “The 12 Worst Food Additives—And How You Can Avoid Them.” By Gunnar Lovelace; silentspring.org, “More than 900 chemicals, many found in consumer products and the environment, display breast-cancer causing traits.”;

What are artificial food additives?

Types of food additives

Types of food they’re commonly found in

Why they’re added to foods

Potential effects of eating artificial ingredients

Gut health

Weight gain

Cancer

Children’s health

Should you limit artificial ingredients?

Tips for reducing your intake

The bottom line

Safety tests for food additives

Effects of food additives

Types of food additives

Food additives and processed foods

Some food additives can cause reactions

Some common food additives that may cause problems

Diagnosing food additive sensitivity

Are These 10 Artificial Food Additives Harmful to Your Health?

10 Food Additives Linked to Health Concerns

How to Avoid Food Additives in Your Diet

Where Can You Learn More?

Nitrites and nitrates

Potassium bromate

Propyl paraben

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)

Propyl gallate

Theobromine

Secret flavor ingredients

Artificial colors

Diacetyl

Phosphate food additives

Aluminum

Share this: