A major French study is raising fresh concerns about the preservatives hiding in everyday packaged foods. Researchers found that several commonly used additives, including some labeled as “natural,” were linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes over time.

The findings add to growing evidence that food additives may affect health in ways that go beyond sugar, salt, and fat content.

The research focused on preservatives found in many store-bought products, from processed meats and baked goods to sauces and beverages. Scientists discovered that people who consumed larger amounts of certain preservatives faced significantly higher cardiovascular risks during the following decade.

Researchers Examined 58 Preservatives

The study, published in the “European Heart Journal.” Researchers analyzed the diets and health records of more than 112,000 people aged 15 and older. All participants took part in the NutriNet-Santé study in France.

Participants recorded everything they ate and drank for three days every six months. They also included product brand names. Researchers then matched those foods with ingredient databases to track preservative intake.

The team studied 58 preservatives in total. They closely examined 17 preservatives consumed by at least 10% of participants. Eight of those preservatives showed a connection to higher blood pressure over the next decade.

The research linked preservatives to:

A 29% higher risk of elevated blood pressure
A 16% greater risk of heart attacks and strokes

Researchers also found risks tied to antioxidant preservatives often described as “natural.”

“Natural” Preservatives Also Raised Concerns

Pexels | Consuming foods with citric and ascorbic acid additives may raise high blood pressure risk by 22%.

Citric acid and ascorbic acid, widely recognized as vitamin C, are commonly added to foods to prevent discoloration and extend shelf life. Researchers found that people who consumed more foods containing these additives had a 22% higher risk of developing high blood pressure.

Senior author Mathilde Touvier, principal investigator of the NutriNet-Santé study and director of research at France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Paris, explained that naturally occurring compounds and manufactured additives may affect the body differently.

“Naturally occurring ascorbic acid and added ascorbic acid — which may be chemically manufactured — may have different impacts on health,” Touvier said in an email.

She also stressed that the findings do not apply to fruits and vegetables naturally rich in vitamin C and citric acid.

“Thus, the results observed here for these food additives are not true for natural substances found in fruits and vegetables,” she added.

Preservatives Were Found Across Many Foods

The study highlighted three non-antioxidant preservatives strongly linked to higher blood pressure:

- Potassium sorbate
- Potassium metabisulphite
- Sodium nitrite

These preservatives help stop bacteria, yeast, and mold growth in processed foods.

Potassium sorbate is often used in baked goods, cheeses, sauces, and wine. Potassium metabisulphite, which releases sulfur dioxide when dissolved, commonly appears in cider, beer, wine, juice, and fermented drinks. Sodium nitrite is widely used in processed meats such as bacon, ham, sausages, and deli meats.

Researchers also identified several antioxidant preservatives associated with cardiovascular risk:

- Ascorbic acid
- Sodium ascorbate
- Sodium erythorbate
- Citric acid
- Rosemary extracts

Among them, ascorbic acid showed a specific connection to cardiovascular disease.

Ultra-Processed Foods Are Only Part of the Picture

Ultra-processed foods, often called UPFs, have already been linked to major health concerns. Previous studies connected UPFs to nearly a 50% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Research has also linked these foods to a 55% greater risk of obesity, a 41% increased risk of sleep disorders, and a 40% higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

Obesity, diabetes, and poor sleep are all strongly connected to heart health.

Still, the new research suggests preservatives themselves may deserve closer attention.

“This is one of the first large studies to look at individual preservatives rather than treating ultra-processed foods as a single category,” said Tracy Parker, nutrition lead at the British Heart Foundation in London, who was not involved in the study.

“UPFs have long raised concerns due to their high levels of sugar, salt and fat, but these factors alone have never fully explained why they appear more harmful than their nutrient profile suggests. These findings help fill part of that gap,” Parker added.

Researchers also noted that preservatives are not limited to heavily processed foods. Earlier work by Touvier’s team found that ultra-processed foods accounted for only 35% of preservative intake among participants.

That means preservatives appear in a far wider range of products than many consumers realize.

“Preservatives are ubiquitous,” said lead author Anaïs Hasenböhler, a doctoral student at the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team at the Université Sorbonne Paris Nord.

“There is no food group/item to remove from the diet in order to fix things,” Hasenböhler explained in an email.

She added that the findings support recommendations encouraging people to choose foods that are minimally processed whenever possible.

Preservatives Still Serve a Purpose

Some nutrition experts pointed out that preservatives remain important for food safety and storage. Gunter Kuhnle, professor of food and nutritional science at the University of Reading in England, said additives help prevent foodborne illness and reduce food waste.

“Preservatives have an important role in the food system, not only by preventing food-borne diseases, but also by preventing spoilage, reducing food waste and extending shelf life,” Kuhnle said in a statement.

Even so, health experts suggest choosing fresher food options more often. Hasenböhler recommended frozen foods as a practical alternative because low temperatures preserve food without always relying on added preservatives.

Additives Linked to Cancer and Diabetes

Pexels | Prioritize fresh foods and check ingredient lists to make informed dietary choices.

The same French research team previously connected several preservatives to higher cancer and diabetes risks.

Earlier studies linked sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, sorbates, potassium metabisulfite, acetates, and acetic acid to up to a 32% higher risk of prostate cancer, breast cancer, and overall cancer rates.

Researchers also linked many of those additives to a 49% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.

The latest study does not prove direct cause and effect. Still, outside experts praised the research methods.

Rachel Richardson works with The Cochrane Collaboration, a nonprofit research organization. She said the researchers carefully adjusted for factors such as smoking, age, physical activity, body mass index, and overall diet quality.

“Other strengths of this study include the way in which they assessed people’s diets and their comprehensive approach to identifying hypertension and cardiovascular disease,” Richardson said.

“Although they cannot prove causation, there are signals in the results that warrant further investigation.”

What the Findings Mean for Consumers

The study does not call for removing all packaged foods from daily diets. Instead, it highlights possible risks linked to long-term exposure to certain preservatives.

Researchers also challenged the belief that all “natural” additives are harmless. Ingredients such as citric acid, rosemary extract, and ascorbic acid may act differently in processed foods than they do in fruits and vegetables.

Experts continue to recommend fresh or minimally processed foods whenever possible. Reading ingredient labels may also help consumers better understand what they eat regularly.

The research adds another layer to the growing discussion about processed foods and long-term heart health.