New Study Reveals Negative Impact of Common Food Emulsifiers on Gut Health
Polysorbate 20 and Polysorbate 80 were shown to damage the gut barrier, leading to cell death and inflammation –– even at doses 10 to 20 times lower than those currently authorized for use
The findings illustrate the urgent need to use fine-scale immunology to evaluate safety and establish a new standard for consumer products
Davos, 2 August 2023
New Study Reveals Negative Impact of Common Food Emulsifiers on Gut Health
Polysorbate 20 and Polysorbate 80 were shown to damage the gut barrier, leading to cell death and inflammation –– even at doses 10 to 20 times lower than those currently authorized for use
The findings illustrate the urgent need to use fine-scale immunology to evaluate safety and establish a new standard for consumer products
The Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF) today announced the findings of a new study demonstrating the mechanisms of gut epithelial barrier impairment caused by food emulsifiers. Published today in Allergy, the research reveals the detrimental effects of the widely-used emulsifiers Polysorbate 20 (P20) and Polysorbate 80 (P80) on intestinal epithelial integrity and inflammation –– even at significantly lower concentrations than those currently authorized.
The study comes from the research group of epithelial biology at SIAF, associated with the University of Zurich, which has been working on epithelial barriers for more than 20 years.
Compounds found in everyday consumer products — such as processed foods, detergents, household cleaners, and cosmetics — can impair the protective cellular linings of the skin, respiratory tract, and gut known as the epithelial barriers. This impairment can lead to microbial dysbiosis, bacterial migration, chronic microinflammation, and immune dysfunction. The Epithelial Barrier Theory proposes that modern society’s reliance on these barrier-damaging agents — which include preservatives, emulsifiers, surfactants, and microplastics — is responsible for the global, epidemic-level rise in chronic health conditions over the last 65 years.
Polysorbate 20 and polysorbate 80 damage gastrointestinal epithelial cells
Polysorbates are a type of nonionic surfactant often used in food preparation to improve the texture and consistency of foods, as well as to act as an emulsifier to help mix ingredients that might not otherwise blend well, such as oil and water. They were first introduced in the mid-20th century as a food additive, and their use has since become widespread globally. Today, they are found in a wide range of processed foods, including ice cream, baked goods, salad dressings, and sauces, at concentrations up to 1%.
The research group investigated the impact of P20 and P80, the most common types of polysorbates used in foods, on epithelial barriers and inflammatory response. Using human models, such as induced pluripotent stem cell-derived human intestinal organoids, colon organoids, organ-on-a-chips, and liquid-liquid interface cultures, the researchers revealed that P20 and P80 damage the gut barrier. This disruption is due to cell death and molecular toxicity, as well as the triggering of numerous genes and proteins that stimulate inflammatory responses in epithelial cells (known as 'epithelitis'). The food emulsifiers also triggered a range of cellular processes, including tissue damage, alterations in cell signaling and communication, and induced inflammation.
The study highlights that these effects occurred even at doses much lower than those approved for public use.
Further, P20 was found to have significant interaction with the ferroptosis pathway - a form of regulated cell death - and influences immune response and energy production. P80, on the other hand, impacted lipid metabolism, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway (involved in detecting and responding to environmental toxins), cellular aging, and immune responses.
Considering that a defective epithelial barrier can facilitate the entry of allergens and induce an inflammatory response that can initiate or aggravate many chronic inflammatory diseases, the need to further evaluate the health hazards of these barrier-damaging compounds –– and the search for safer alternatives –– is all the more urgent.
Link to the article for further reading (open for free download):
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.15825
Correspondence: Cezmi A. Akdis
E-mail : cezmi.akdis@siaf.uzh.ch
Telephone: ++41 78 738 82 84
Website: Epithelial Barrier Theory - About
Correspondence: Cezmi A. Akdis
E-mail : cezmi.akdis@siaf.uzh.ch
Telephone: ++41 78 738 82 84
Website: Epithelial Barrier Theory - About