Studies on the human gut have added further evidence that emulsifiers and additives found in most processed foods are linked to obesity, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disorders.
Studies have used mice to test the effect of two common emulsifiers – carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80 – on the microbiome make up and metabolism, finding that relatively low-level concentrations of the emulsifiers resulted in distinct alterations to the gut microbial ecosystem (microbiota) and led to low-grade inflammation and the onset of metabolic syndrome.
Interestingly enough polysorbate-80 it is also an emulsifier used inpopular brands of ice cream. The facts is preservatives, emulsifiers, and sweeteners have saturated the food supply for more than four decades.
Emulsifiers are used to improve a food’s texture and to prevent mixtures from separating, particularly in ice cream. Last year, Benoit Chassaing of Georgia State University showed that mice that drank water containing one of two emulsifiers underwent changes in gut bacteria and inflammation of the gut — changes that led to obesity and diabetes in these animals.