French Study Links 8 Preservatives to 29% Higher Hypertension Risk

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 22

112,395 French adults tracked for nearly eight years showed higher intake of common food preservatives was tied to more hypertension and cardiovascular disease, with 5,544 hypertension cases and 2,450 cardiovascular events recorded.
Total non-antioxidant preservatives were associated with a 29% higher hypertension risk and 16% higher cardiovascular disease risk, while total antioxidant preservatives were linked to a 22% increase in hypertension risk.
Eight additives consumed by at least 10% of participants were linked to higher hypertension rates, including potassium sorbate, sodium nitrite, citric acid and metabisulphites; ascorbic acid was the only preservative significantly tied to cardiovascular disease risk.
The researchers said the observational study cannot prove causation and may reflect reporting errors, underdiagnosed hypertension, and a participant pool that was healthier, more educated and more often female than the broader French population.
If future studies replicate the findings, some preservatives used widely in ultra-processed foods—which make up 72% of packaged foods in the U.S.—could face added cardiovascular safety reviews.