A large French study has found that people with higher exposure to several commonly used preservative food additives had a greater incidence of high blood pressure during follow-up, raising new questions about the cardiovascular effects of ingredients used in industrially produced foods.
The research, published in the European Heart Journal on May 20, 2026, analysed dietary and health information from 112,395 participants in France’s NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort. Researchers followed participants from 2009 to 2024, with a median follow-up of 7.9 years.
The study did not conclude that food preservatives directly cause hypertension. Instead, it identified statistical associations between higher exposure to certain additives and the subsequent incidence of hypertension or cardiovascular disease. The researchers said further experimental work and confirmation from other epidemiological studies are needed.
What the French researchers found
The research team assessed exposure to 58 preservative substances using repeated 24-hour dietary records, information about commercial food brands, composition databases and laboratory analyses of food samples.
During the study period, researchers recorded 5,544 new cases of hypertension and 2,450 cardiovascular disease cases.
Participants with higher consumption of total non-antioxidant preservatives had a 29% higher incidence of hypertension compared with those with lower consumption. The same higher-exposure group also had a 16% higher incidence of cardiovascular disease. Higher exposure to antioxidant preservatives was associated with a 22% higher incidence of hypertension.
Among 17 individual preservative additives consumed by at least 10% of the study population, eight were associated with a higher incidence of hypertension after statistical correction for multiple comparisons.
Those included:
- Potassium sorbate (E202)
- Potassium metabisulphite (E224)
- Sodium nitrite (E250)
- Ascorbic acid (E300)
- Sodium ascorbate (E301)
- Sodium erythorbate (E316)
- Citric acid (E330)
- Rosemary extracts (E392)
The researchers also reported associations between some individual additives and cardiovascular outcomes. Ascorbic acid, for example, was associated with cardiovascular disease, while potassium sorbate was associated with coronary heart disease in the study’s analyses.
Why the findings matter
Food additives serve different technical purposes. Preservatives can help extend shelf life and protect food from deterioration, while some substances classified within the study’s broader preservative-additive group can have additional technological functions.
Food additives are not automatically unsafe simply because they are used in packaged foods. The European Food Safety Authority notes that approved additives undergo safety evaluations and are used for purposes including maintaining food safety, freshness, taste, texture or appearance.
The French study therefore adds to the scientific evidence rather than establishing a new safety rule. Its authors said the results should be confirmed by additional epidemiological research and supported by experimental studies examining possible biological mechanisms.
The UAE angle
For consumers in the UAE, the findings do not amount to a warning that commercially available foods containing these additives are unsafe.
The UAE has a mandatory standard specification governing food additives. UAE legislation identifies UAE.S 192:2019, “Additives Permitted for Use in Food Stuffs,” as the relevant technical regulation under Cabinet Resolution No. 60 of 2019.
Consumers can nevertheless use the study as a reminder to pay attention to the overall nutritional profile of packaged foods. This is particularly relevant to sodium intake, which is already a well-established factor in blood pressure.
The World Health Organisation recommends that adults consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day, equivalent to less than 5 grams of salt. WHO also notes that processed foods can be important sources of dietary sodium.
That distinction matters because a packaged product may contain several ingredients associated with its nutritional profile. The presence of an individual additive on a label does not, by itself, indicate that the product will raise a person’s blood pressure.
What consumers should take from the study
The research supports continued attention to dietary patterns rather than focusing on a single ingredient in isolation.
WHO recommends limiting foods high in sodium, unhealthy fats and free sugars and encourages diets built around a variety of fruits, vegetables, pulses, whole grains and other nutritious foods.
For people concerned about blood pressure, regular blood-pressure checks remain more informative than trying to determine risk from an ingredient list alone. WHO says hypertension can only be identified through blood-pressure measurement and recommends healthy eating, lower salt intake and physical activity as part of prevention and management.
The French researchers stopped short of saying consumers should eliminate the eight additives identified in their analysis. Their conclusion was that the associations warrant further investigation and, if confirmed, could support reassessment of how some additives are regulated.
For now, the study is best understood as new evidence about a possible relationship between exposure to certain food additives and cardiovascular health — not as proof that commonly used preservatives directly cause hypertension.
What did the French food-additive study find?
The study found that higher exposure to several preservative food additives was associated with a higher incidence of hypertension and, for some exposures, cardiovascular disease. It did not prove that the additives directly cause these conditions.
How many people were studied?
The NutriNet-Santé analysis included 112,395articipants in France, with a median follow-up of 7.9 years.
Which eight additives were associated with hypertension?
They were potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulphite, sodium nitrite, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, sodium erythorbate, citric acid and rosemary extracts.
Does the study prove that preservatives cause high blood pressure?
No. It is an observational prospective cohort study and identifies associations. The researchers said additional epidemiological and experimental research is required.
Are food additives regulated in the UAE?
Yes. UAE legislation includes a mandatory standard specification for permitted food additives, including UAE.S 192:2019.
Should people stop eating foods containing these additives?
The study does not establish that consumers should eliminate the identified additives. A broader focus on a balanced diet and limiting excess sodium and highly processed foods is consistent with current WHO guidance.
What is the WHO recommendation for sodium intake?
WHO recommends less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day, equivalent to less than 5 grams of salt for adults.
