Common food preservatives linked to high blood pressure and heart disease

22 May 2026

IMAGE: MATHILDE TOUVIER

A study by the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (INSERM) on 112,395 people from the NutriNet-Santé cohort has found a link between preservatives commonly used in food processing, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

They tracked the volunteers’ health for an average of seven to eight years

It is the first study of its kind to investigate the links between a wide range of preservatives and cardiovascular health. The study analysed diets and food ingredients in detail.

Overall, they found that people who ate the largest amounts of ‘non-antioxidant’ preservatives had a 29% higher risk of hypertension, compared to those who ate the least, and a 16% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke and angina. People who ate the most antioxidant preservatives had a 22% higher risk of hypertension. These two kinds of preservatives were studied separately.

Researchers also looked at 17 of the most commonly eaten preservatives and found that eight of these were specifically linked to high blood pressure. These are: potassium sorbate (E202), potassium metabisulphite (E224), sodium nitrite (E250), ascorbic acid (E300), sodium ascorbate (E301), sodium erythorbate (E316), citric acid (E330) and extracts of rosemary (E392).

Ascorbic acid (E300) was also specifically linked to cardiovascular disease.

Dr Mathilde Touvier, one of the leaders of the study, calls for a re-evaluation of the risks and benefits of these food additives by EFSA in the light of these findings.