New Study: Are Additive Cocktails Fuelling Diabetes?

We don’t eat food additives one at a time — so why are they tested that way?

A groundbreaking new study in PLOS Medicine suggests that combinations of common food additives — not just individual ingredients — could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Let’s break it down.

The Big Picture

Most additives are only tested in isolation, mainly for toxicity and cancer risk. But in real life, we consume mixtures of these chemicals every day — in snacks, sauces, desserts, and drinks.

And until now, no one was really checking what those combinations might do to us.

What the Study Found

Scientists tracked 108,000+ French adults for nearly 8 years and grouped the 75 most common additives into five mixtures people consumed regularly.

They discovered that two mixtures — Mixture 2 and Mixture 5 — were linked to significantly higher rates of type 2 diabetes.

Even after adjusting for things like sugar, fat, alcohol, and overall diet quality, the link held strong.

Mixture 2: Found in Processed Foods

Includes:

  • Emulsifiers: modified starches, guar gum, carrageenan, xanthan gum, pectin
  • Preservative: potassium sorbate
  • Colourant: curcumin

Common in: broths, dairy desserts, sauces, and ready meals.

Mixture 5: Found in Sugary Drinks

Includes:

  • Acidifiers: citric acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid
  • Dyes: caramel coloring, anthocyanins, paprika extract
  • Sweeteners: aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame-K
  • Emulsifiers: arabic gum, pectin

Common in: sodas and other sweetened drinks.

So What’s Going On?

The study didn’t find that one additive caused harm. Instead, it’s the interaction between them that might disrupt gut health and metabolism — potentially triggering inflammation and raising diabetes risk.

Animal studies back this up. For example, guar gum has been shown to alter the gut microbiome and promote inflammation in mice.

A Few Caveats

This was the first study to look at additive mixtures in humans — and it’s observational, so it shows correlation, not causation. The researchers did their best to adjust for confounding factors, but unknown variables may still play a role.

Still, the findings are compelling enough that the authors are calling for:

  • More long-term and short-term studies
  • A full reassessment of food additive safety — especially how these chemicals interact

Want to Learn What’s in Your Food?

We’ve put together a simple, science-backed guide to 100+ common food additives — what they are, what they do, and how they might impact your health.

 

KNOW WHAT YOU DRINK

At KTea, we stay true to our promise—absolutely no preservatives or additives, ever. We never cut corners on flavour or quality. Instead, we use only freeze-dried organic botanicals to cold-infuse our kombuchas, keeping them naturally rich in beneficial bacteria.

Would you believe such a delicious drink is made with just four pure ingredients? Organic whole-leaf teas, R/O filtered water, raw cane sugar*, and real organic botanicals.

*The sugar is mostly consumed by our SCOBYs during the first fermentation.

And yes—our kombuchas are fermented twice! First in the tank, and then again in the bottles. That’s when any remaining sugar transforms into that signature, Champagne-like sparkle.

 

 

Quick Guide to Common Food Additives

Packaged and ultra-processed foods often contain ingredients with chemical-sounding names. This guide breaks them down by category, explaining their purpose and any health concerns. Where applicable, European E-numbers are included.

🧂 Hidden Sugars

These are used to sweeten food, improve texture, and extend shelf life. They go by many names and can be hard to recognize:

Examples:

  • Glucose

  • Fructose

  • High fructose corn syrup

  • Agave nectar

  • Maltodextrin

  • Dextrose

  • Invert sugar

  • Honey

  • Maple syrup

  • Brown rice syrup

  • Coconut sugar

  • Fruit juice concentrates

  • Glucose syrup solids

  • Evaporated cane juice

🔸 Health Concerns: Linked to obesity, cancer, and heart disease.

🎨 Colorings

Used to make food look appealing or consistent.

Natural Colorings:

  • Annatto

  • Beet juice

  • Beta-carotene (E160a)

  • Paprika extract

  • Caramel coloring (E150a–d)

Artificial Colorings:

  • Red 40 (E129)

  • Yellow 5 (E102)

  • Yellow 6 (E110)

  • Blue 1 (E133)

  • Blue 2 (E132)

  • Green 3 (E143)

  • Brilliant Blue FCF

  • Allura Red AC

  • Tartrazine

🔸 Health Concerns: Some studies link synthetic dyes to hyperactivity, behavioral issues, and cancer risks in animals.

🍭 Flavorings

Enhance or mimic natural flavors. They may be listed as “natural flavor” or “artificial flavor.”

Common Flavoring Additives:

  • Vanillin

  • Ethyl maltol

  • Methyl anthranilate

  • Diacetyl

  • Amyl acetate

  • Benzaldehyde

  • Citral

  • Limonene

  • Linalool

🔸 Health Concerns: Often undisclosed mixtures; some linked to allergies or gut effects.

🍜 Flavor Enhancers

Used to boost savory or umami taste.

Examples:

  • Monosodium glutamate (MSG / E621)

  • Disodium inosinate (E631)

  • Disodium guanylate (E627)

  • Disodium ribonucleotides (E635)

  • Yeast extract

  • Hydrolyzed vegetable protein

  • Calcium diglutamate (E623)

  • Magnesium glutamate (E625)

🔸 Health Concerns: Generally safe, though sensitive individuals may experience headaches or flushing.

🧪 Preservatives

Prevent spoilage and microbial growth.

Examples:

  • Sodium benzoate (E211)

  • Potassium sorbate (E202)

  • Calcium propionate (E282)

  • Sorbic acid (E200)

  • Nitrites & nitrates (E250, E251)

  • Sulfites (E220–E228)

  • Sodium metabisulfite (E223)

  • Benzoic acid (E210)

  • Propionic acid (E280)

🔸 Health Concerns: Some (like nitrites, sulfites) may trigger asthma or be linked to cancer in high amounts.

⚖️ Acidifiers & Buffers

Control food pH to affect flavor, texture, and shelf life.

Common Acidifiers & Buffers:

  • Citric acid (E330)

  • Lactic acid (E270)

  • Acetic acid (E260)

  • Malic acid (E296)

  • Tartaric acid (E334)

  • Sodium citrate (E331)

  • Potassium citrate (E332)

  • Calcium citrate (E333)

  • Sodium acetate (E262)

  • Sodium lactate (E325)

🔸 Health Concerns: Generally recognized as safe.

🛡️ Antioxidants

Prevent fats and oils from going rancid.

Examples:

  • Ascorbic acid (E300)

  • Tocopherols (E306–E309)

  • BHA (E320)

  • BHT (E321)

  • Propyl gallate (E310)

  • Citric acid (E330)

  • Tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ / E319)

🔸 Health Concerns: Some (like BHA/BHT) are under review for potential cancer risks.

💊 Vitamins & Minerals

Added to enrich foods or replace nutrients lost during processing.

Examples:

  • Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

  • Vitamin E (tocopherol)

  • Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate)

  • Niacin (B3)

  • Riboflavin (B2)

  • Thiamine (B1)

  • Folic acid

  • Iron

  • Calcium

  • Zinc

  • Magnesium

  • Vitamin D

  • Vitamin B12

🔸 Note: Helpful in moderation but doesn’t make ultra-processed foods inherently healthy.

🧁 Stabilizers, Emulsifiers, and Thickeners

Maintain texture, blend ingredients, or keep emulsions stable.

Stabilizers:

  • Carrageenan (E407)

  • Xanthan gum (E415)

  • Guar gum (E412)

  • Locust bean gum (E410)

  • Agar (E406)

  • Pectin (E440)

Emulsifiers:

  • Lecithin (E322)

  • Mono- and diglycerides (E471)

  • Polysorbates (E432–E436)

  • Sorbitan monostearate (E491)

  • Propylene glycol esters (E477)

Thickeners & Bulking Agents:

  • Modified starches (E1404–E1451)

  • Cellulose (E460)

  • Methylcellulose (E461)

  • Microcrystalline cellulose (E460i)

  • Carboxymethyl cellulose (E466)

  • Maltodextrin

🔸 Health Concerns: Some (e.g. carrageenan, CMC) may affect digestion or gut microbiota.

 

 

Source: https://zoe.com/learn/comprehensive-guide-food-additives  


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