Camille Moreau / Photo credits: MAISANT LUDOVIC / HEMIS.FR / HEMIS.FR / HEMIS VIA AFP 9:24 a.m., February 14, 2024
They make it possible to improve the texture of foods and extend their shelf life, but according to a study carried out on 90,000 participants, food emulsifiers added to pastries and industrial desserts increase the risk of developing cancer.
Be careful with madeleines, brioches or industrial pastries which contain additives which can be dangerous to your health. Called emulsifiers, their role is to make pastries more beautiful and softer, but they also increase the risk of developing cancer, as revealed by a study carried out on 90,000 participants.
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If the label of a product in the supermarket says the codes E471 and E407, be wary. These two emulsifiers smooth the appearance and texture of ultra-processed products like creamier ice creams and fluffier pastries. But it seems that the more we consume, the more the risks of developing cancer increase, explains Mathilde Touvier, director of the study. “Whatever the profile of the participants, in terms of age, socioeconomic status, consumption of tobacco, alcohol or other, people who had higher consumption of certain emulsifiers had greater risks of cancer. Cancer overall and then breast and/or prostate cancer,” she explains.
For example, men who love industrial biscuits are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer. Other studies also show that these emulsifiers could cause inflammation which, in the long term, would increase the risk of developing cancer or cardiovascular disease.