How food emulsifiers affect our bodies

Source: ynetnews.com /image: Shutterstock / Author: Shiri Nakash

The term "emulsifiers" is not particularly common, although these substances, which are part of food additives, can be found in many food products. They serve to process the food from its raw ingredients into its final, ready-to-eat form. Their role is to connect substances that would not naturally mix and prevent them from separating after being merged.

Food additives appear in the ingredient list on packaging and are usually marked with the letter "E." They are responsible for giving the final product its texture, such as making bread softer or giving ice cream a silky texture. In recent years, questions have arisen about how these additives may impact our health in general, especially concerning bacteria in the intestines.

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Emulsifiers are one of the largest groups of additives used in food products. As our scientific understanding of gut bacteria has grown, they are being suspected as potential culprits in negatively affecting gut health. Nowadays, it is well-known that gut health has broad implications for overall well-being, as gut bacteria significantly influence the body and mind, including metabolism, inflammatory conditions, immune response, and even mood.

The challenging part of food production is to produce food without incorporating emulsifiers into the process. A study conducted in Britain revealed that over 6,000 food products contain these additives, with some products containing three to four emulsifiers, and some even more. They can be found in bread, chocolate, cakes, ice creams, processed meats, and more.

One of the advantages of these substances is their ability to mix water with oil. Emulsifiers are constructed with a hydrophobic side that does not bond with water and a hydrophilic side that bonds with it. As a result, one end helps to bind with oil or fat, while the other end helps to bind with water, which prevents their separation. Emulsifiers also help extend the shelf life of products and maintain their softness without drying out.

In chocolate, for example, emulsifiers are used to prevent the formation of a white layer that occurs when sugar or fat rises to the surface. In ice cream, the proper quantities of fat and air are crucial to form its unique texture, and adding emulsifiers prevents fat separation from the liquid.

Emulsifiers are also used in bread (Photo: Shutterstock)

High risk of inflammatory bowel disease

Emulsifiers have been used in the food industry for over 50 years and have been considered safe for use by health authorities. However, the problem is that safety assessments were conducted when little was known about gut bacteria. Nowadays, numerous researchers are raising concerns and directing their focus toward these substances to examine their potential connection with inflammatory bowel diseases, as their frequency increases year after year.

It is now known that people who consume highly processed foods are at a higher risk of inflammatory bowel diseases, and emulsifiers present in these foods may play a significant role in this case.

Many factors in the Western processed diet can harm gut bacteria. The concern about the potentially harmful effects of emulsifiers is related to their function in food – their ability to blend water with oil. It is possible that this very capability is the issue, as these substances can potentially compromise the gut's integrity, allowing specific inflammatory microorganisms to penetrate the intestine.

An initial study conducted in 2015 suggested that it is possible for emulsifiers to have negative effects on gut health. The study examined how mice were affected by two common emulsifiers: CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) and P80 (polysorbate 80). The mice were divided into three groups: one group consumed water containing CMC, the second group consumed water containing P80, and the third group was given water without any additives. The results showed that mice consuming water with emulsifiers experienced changes in the diversity of gut bacteria, with a reduction in the number of different types of bacteria. This is a negative effect since a greater diversity of gut bacteria is beneficial in reducing disease susceptibility.

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Furthermore, they observed that mice receiving emulsifiers had a greater number of pro-inflammatory bacteria and a thinner protective layer in their gut lining. The explanation given was that the emulsifiers caused the breakdown of the protective gut lining, resulting in a phenomenon known as "leaky gut": the passage of bacteria and other molecules through the gut lining, leading to inflammation. The study suggests that emulsifiers may contribute to the development of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and colitis.

In the next stage, researchers examined whether the removal of emulsifiers from the diet might reduce inflammatory conditions. In a small study conducted in 2020, involving 20 Crohn's disease patients, they were asked to avoid consuming foods with emulsifiers for two weeks. At the end of this period, most of them reported feeling slightly better. However, conclusive findings are challenging to reach due to the small sample size, short duration, and potential positive effects resulting from participation in the study, including support and guidance.

In another study in the United States in 2017, 12 patients with colitis - inflammation of the colon - refrained from consuming emulsifiers for up to a year. Five of them took a daily capsule containing the emulsifier carrageenan, while the remaining seven took a placebo. The results showed that three out of the five who took carrageenan experienced signs of inflammation, while none of the placebo group reported any such symptoms.

In the meantime, consumers remain confused, as it is still early to determine whether to ban the use of emulsifiers in food. It is also early to recommend avoiding foods that contain these substances, as some emulsifiers are not harmful. However, it may be beneficial to try to consume less processed food and invest more in preparing homemade meals.