Author(s):

Malamige Minoli Weroshana Aponso, GO De Silva and AT Abeysundara

Abstract:
Emulsifiers, which are added to most processed foods to aid texture and extend shelf life, can alter the gut microbiota composition and localization to induce intestinal inflammation that promotes the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and metabolic syndrome. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which comprises Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affects many people and is often severe and devastating. Metabolic syndrome is a group of very common obesity-related disorders that can lead to type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular and/or liver diseases. Addition of emulsifiers to food promotes bacterial translocation across epithelial cells which also augments main features of obesity namely adiposity and metabolic inflammation. Studies have proven that emulsifiers might affect the gut microbiota to promote these inflammatory diseases. Clinically designed experiments using mice have been conducted to test this possibility. Results of current studies with regards to the effect of emulsifiers to gut health highlight that existing means of testing and approving food additives may not be sufficient to preclude the use of chemicals that promote diseases driven by low-grade inflammation and/or which will cause disease primarily in susceptible hosts.

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