Food additives as non-conventional modulators of gut microbiota: health implications

Abstract

Every day, billions of individuals consume variable amounts of food additives contained in most ultra-processed foods, even though these substances are considered non-nutritive. The market for these compounds is growing, as well as the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Recent evidence suggests the detrimental role of food additives on gut microbiota and homeostasis as crucial players in the onset of NCDs. This review summarizes the main findings about this hot topic dissecting the most recent studies justifying the growing scientific concern about these non-nutritive substances. At least four categories of food additives have been put under the spotlights: artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, food colorants, and preservatives. Human studies on a large scale are warranted to confirm preclinical results.