E-numbers in ice cream ‘could increase YOUR risk of bowel cancer’
EATING a diet rich in processed foods could be behind the huge rise in bowel cancer in recent years, experts said today.
Common additives found in ice cream can alter a person's gut bacteria, raising their risk of the disease, new research suggests.
Emulsifiers, which are added to most processed foods to aid texture and extend shelf life, can trigger inflammation in the intestines, which in turn raises the risk of cancer.
The gut is home to both ";good" and "bad" bacteria, but a new study suggests emulsifiers are altering the fine balance.
It is "bad" bacteria in the gut that can promote inflammation, which can trigger colorectal cancers, as well as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - two of the most common forms of bowel disease.
Scientists at Georgia State University found regularly eating dietary emulsifiers, also known as e-numbers, encouraged the development of tumours in mice.
The dramatic increase in these diseases has occurred amid constant human genetics, suggesting a pivotal role for an environmental factor
Dr Benoit Chassaing
A growing body of scientific evidence points to the gut microbiome - a vast, diverse population of microorganisims in the intestines - as a driving role in the development of the disease.
Dr Emilie Viennois said: "The incidence of colorectal cancer has been markedly increasing since the mid-20th century.
"A key feature of this disease is the presence of an altered intestinal microbiota that creates a favourable niche for tumorigenesis."
Tumorigenesis, also known as "colitis-associated cancer", is a condition where gut inflammation increases the risk of tumours forming.
Dr Benoit Chassaing added: "The dramatic increase in these diseases has occurred amid constant human genetics, suggesting a pivotal role for an environmental factor."
But, experts not connected to the new study were quick to offer reassurance.
Professor Tom Sanders, from Kings College London, said suggesting the findings in mice would be comparable in humans was an "enormous leap".
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In order to test their theory that emulsifiers in food increase the chances of colorectal cancer, the researchers designed experiments in mice.
They fed mice two very common emulsifiers, polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose, at doses aiming to replicate those in most processed foods.
The team found that consuming these emulsifiers drastically changed the gut microbiota, increasing levels of inflammation and creating an environment in which tumours could develop and grow.
Prof Sanders said the mice were fed the e-numbers at a level of one per cent, "a very high intake of the food additives compared to what might be found in human diets".
He added: "Overall this short-term mouse study has several limitations, including extreme levels of additives the mice were fed.
"We can't assume this study is applicable to humans, so it shouldn't be cause for concern."
The findings are published in the journal Cancer Research.