Researchers Link Widely Used Food Preservatives to Higher Heart Disease Risk
The tiny ingredients hidden in processed foods may be doing more than just extending shelf life. A major new study suggests that common food preservatives found in everyday packaged products could be linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
The research, published in the European Heart Journal, analyzed dietary and health data from more than 112,000 adults participating in the French NutriNet-Santé study. Scientists tracked participants’ eating habits for years, carefully examining the additives present in foods and beverages while monitoring long-term health outcomes.
Researchers found that nearly all participants — about 99.5% — consumed at least one type of preservative regularly. Those with the highest intake of “non-antioxidant” preservatives had a 29% greater risk of developing hypertension and a 16% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, and angina, compared with those consuming the least.
Among the preservatives most strongly associated with high blood pressure were sodium nitrite (E250), potassium sorbate (E202), citric acid (E330), potassium metabisulphite (E224), and rosemary extracts (E392). Ascorbic acid (E300), commonly known as Vitamin C when naturally present in foods, was also linked to cardiovascular disease when used as a preservative additive in processed products.
Researchers believe preservatives may contribute to oxidative stress, inflammation, or metabolic changes that affect heart and blood vessel health. However, they emphasized that the study was observational, meaning it cannot prove preservatives directly caused disease.
Still, the findings add to growing concerns about ultra-processed foods and their long-term health effects. Scientists say the results support current recommendations encouraging people to favor minimally processed foods and reduce unnecessary additive exposure whenever possible.
REFERENCE: Hasenböhler, A., et al. (2026) Preservative food additives, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases: the NutriNet-Santé study, European Heart Journal. DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehag308. https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehag308/8679203
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