Study says common ingredients in packaged food may promote inflammatory diseases

A study has revealed that common ingredients in packaged food may promote several chronic inflammatory diseases.

Sciencemag reported that the study, which was published online in Nature, identified increases in metabolic disease and intestinal inflammation in mice which were fed two common emulsifiers utilised in processed food.

According to the authors, the ingredients will disrupt the barrier between the immune system and the microbiome.

University of Alberta microbiologist Karen Madsen, who was not involved in the study, said the finding is believable and remarkable.

Madsen said: "It sends a really clear message that changes to our food supply are altering our microbiota and our health."

Under the study, the researchers fed two common emulsifiers, carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate 80, to both a genetically susceptible mouse strain and wild-type mice.

Eating or drinking emulsifiers for three months increased the risk of developing symptoms of colitis in the susceptible mice.

Colitis is a mouse model of the intestinal inflammation seen in humans with the IBD range of 40% to 80%.

Nature reported that emulsifier-induced metabolic syndrome was related with microbiota encroachment, changed species composition and increased pro-inflammatory potential.

The study supports the concept that perturbed host-microbiota interactions, which result in low-grade inflammation, can promote adiposity and its related metabolic effects.