FOOD ADDITIVES AND THE IMPACT ON THE HUMAN INTESTINAL MICROBIOTA AND ITS EFFECTS ON HEALTH

Abstract

The trend towards the consumption of foods with an increasingly attractive appearance, with functional and nutritional claims such as low fat, sodium and sugar content, has increased in recent decades. However, for the industrialization of foods and promotion of these characteristics, it may be necessary to use various types of food additives, such as preservatives, dyes, sweeteners, emulsifiers, etc. Recently, it has been reported in the scientific literature, the influence of diet on the composition of the human intestinal microbiota, directly affecting health. Among the food components researched are food additives, whose intake has been associated with metabolic disorders, inflammation and neurological diseases. This review aims to discuss the impacts of some food additives (preservatives, dyes, sweeteners and emulsifiers) on the intestinal microbiota and its relationship with human health. The selected articles were randomized studies, meta-analyses, reviews and systematic reviews. For randomized studies and meta-analyses, studies with humans, animals and in vitro were considered. The selection of articles considered publications between the years 2012 and 2022. In vivo and in vitro studies showed that many synthetic food additives may represent a potential for changes in the intestinal microbiota, which may lead to metabolic diseases and even cancer. Therefore, it is advisable to sparingly consume processed foods containing artificial food additives, until further studies elucidate the potential mechanisms of alteration of the intestinal microbiota.

Keywords: dysbiosis, health; ultra-processed foods.