Emulsifiers Make Food More Appealing. Do They Also Make You Sick?
Emerging research suggests there might be a link between the texture-tweaking agents and health risks
They keep salad dressing from separating, ice cream from dripping and muffins from hardening. Emulsifiers, used to improve the texture of food, are in all sorts of products. But there is growing concern about the potential health risks from eating them.
Recent studies have found that consuming common emulsifiers is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Other research seems to show why: The substances change the gut microbiome in a way that can cause inflammation.
Emulsifiers may partly explain why diets high in ultra-processed foods are associated with health problems. Ultra-processed foods, which include everything from energy bars and chips to deli meat and many soups, are facing increased scrutiny by the Trump administration. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new head of the Department of Health and Human Services, has said that the Food and Drug Administration will investigate food additives. Kennedy has often blamed the substances for chronic diseases in the U.S.
The new research on emulsifiers is upending what scientists thought they knew about them. Many common emulsifiers were considered safe because they aren’t readily absorbed by the body. But now researchers understand that this very quality enables emulsifiers to disrupt the microbiome.
Emulsifiers are harder to avoid than some other food additives, like artificial sweeteners and colors, because they are difficult to taste and see and their use is so widespread. The ingredients are cheap and increase stability and shelf life.
