New Delhi, Jan 8 || People who eat more industrially processed foods and beverages laced with preservatives, widely used to extend shelf-life, may increase the risk of cancer, according to a study.
The study, published in The BMJ, showed that higher intakes of several preservatives (mostly non-antioxidants, including potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, and acetic acid) were associated with a higher risk of cancers, compared with risks in non-consumers or lower consumers.
For example, total sorbates, specifically potassium sorbate, were associated with a 14 per cent increased risk of overall cancer and a 26 per cent increased risk of breast cancer, while total sulfites were associated with a 12 per cent increased risk of overall cancer.
Sodium nitrite was associated with a 32 per cent increased risk of prostate cancer, while potassium nitrate was associated with an increased risk of overall cancer (13 per cent) and breast cancer (22 per cent).
Total acetates were associated with an increased risk of overall cancer (15 per cent) and breast cancer (25 per cent), while acetic acid was associated with a 12 per cent increased risk of overall cancer.