Dietitians emphasise processed food patterns over preservatives as cardiovascular risks surface

Nutrition experts warn that the real health threat lies in the overall consumption of ultra-processed diets rather than preservatives alone, as new European research links additives to heart risks.

Nutrition specialists have pushed back against the common belief that industrial preservatives are, in themselves, a direct threat to health, arguing instead that the greater concern lies in the wider pattern of consuming heavily processed foods. In comments to Al Sharq, several dietitians said preservatives are used under strict safety controls to slow spoilage, limit bacterial growth and extend shelf life, while authorities continue to monitor their use. Their remarks come as fresh European research has revived debate over whether some additives may still carry cardiovascular risks.

The latest discussion has been sharpened by a study published in the European Heart Journal, which followed more than 112,000 adults in France for up to eight years. According to the European Society of Cardiology, the research linked higher intake of certain preservative additives with an increased risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, although the authors said more evidence is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn about effects in humans.

Against that backdrop, the specialists cited by Al Sharq said the real danger usually stems from ultra-processed diets, which often combine preservatives with large amounts of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats. They pointed to links between frequent consumption of such foods and higher rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, noting that the problem is usually the overall dietary pattern rather than any single additive. The ScienceDaily summary of a major European cardiology report said people who ate the most ultra-processed foods faced markedly higher risks of heart disease, abnormal heart rhythms, metabolic disruption and cardiovascular death.

The dietitians also stressed that not all preservatives are identical. Some occur naturally, such as salt, vinegar and vitamin C, while others are manufactured and subject to limits set by regulators. They said most people can consume approved additives safely within those limits, though certain groups may react to specific compounds: people with asthma, for example, may be sensitive to sulphites, while nitrites and nitrates used in processed meats have been associated in scientific studies with the formation of potentially carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Their advice was consistent: make fresh foods the basis of the diet, read ingredient lists carefully and reduce reliance on processed meats, ready-made drinks and packaged meals. As one of the nutritionists told Al Sharq, the issue is not preservatives alone but the habit of eating heavily processed foods day after day.