Study Warns: Common Food Preservative May Damage Gut Health

Preservatives can have serious negative effects on our bodies. A study published in ACS Chemical Biology found that a particular ingredient commonly found in many foods may have a damaging impact on human health. This ingredient appears in foods such as cheese, sausages, beer, and more, and its consequences could be harmful.

The findings come from researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois, who raised concerns about preservatives and their potential to disrupt our internal bacterial balance.

Nisin is a type of antibiotic often added to processed food. “Its effect on gut bacteria has not been well studied until now,” said Zhenrun Zhang from the University of Chicago. “While nisin may be effective at preventing food spoilage, it can have a much greater impact on the beneficial bacteria in our intestines.”

Dr. Dalit Dreman Medina, a family medicine expert, explains: “It’s important to know what we’re putting into our bodies and to read nutrition labels carefully. This study only reinforces the importance of doing so.”

In their research, scientists created six nisin-like compounds and tested their effects on both beneficial and harmful bacteria from the human gut. Each compound had a different impact, but all showed influence on the helpful bacteria in our microbiome.

“We can’t generalize the effects of preservatives on the gut,” explained Dr. Dreman, “but this research shows that the tested compound can affect the gut microbiome in unexpected ways. According to the lead researcher, this is the first study demonstrating that beneficial gut bacteria are sensitive to nisin, and sometimes even more sensitive than the harmful ones.”

“Given the levels of this antibiotic used in the food industry, it’s very likely that it harms our gut health. While food preservation once relied on traditional methods like salt or alcohol, in recent decades these have been replaced by modern preservatives such as nisin.”

“In recent years, a growing number of studies have suggested that modern food processing may harm our health. This latest research supports that trend, showing that the antibiotic nisin can disrupt the gut microbiome and potentially lead to wider health issues in the digestive system and beyond.”