Experts warn that emulsifiers in ice cream may increase the risk of diabetes and cancer

Experts here on Thursday said that emulsifiers, such as xantham gum and guar gum, which improve the look, flavor, texture, and shelf life of ice creams, biscuits, yoghurts, and mayonnaise, might also increase the risk of diabetes.

These dietary additives, which were formerly thought to be safe at low concentrations, are now being linked to a number of illnesses, including prostate and breast cancer.

According to recent 14-year French research published in the journal “The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology,” the widely used emulsifiers may increase the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

The study found that the following emulsifiers increase the risk of diabetes: carrageenans (3 percent increased risk per increment of 100 mg per day); tripotassium phosphate (15 percent increased risk per increment of 500 mg per day); esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid (4 percent increased risk per increment of 100 mg per day); sodium citrate (4 percent increased risk per increment of 500 mg per day); guar gum (11 percent increased risk per day); gum arabic (3 percent increased risk per increment of 1,000 mg per day) and xanthan gum (8 percent increased risk per increment of 500 mg per day).

The specialists claim that these dietary chemicals change the microbiota in the stomach, which results in inflammation and diabetes.

According to studies, using these emulsifiers for an extended period of time may have negative consequences, such as upsetting the gut flora. The likely cause for this is an increase in insulin resistance, according to M Wali, Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

“Emulsifiers are generally considered safe and some emulsifiers such as xantham gum were even found to lower fasting and post-meal sugars along with cholesterol in certain test subjects,” Tushar Tayal is an internal medicine consultant at the CK Birla Hospital in Gurugram.

He clarified, however, that their connection to diabetes and other illnesses is caused by “alteration of gut microflora,” adding that the easiest method to prevent the condition is “to avoid consuming packaged food products.”

Emulsifiers are food additives that aid in the mixing of two substances (such as water and oil) that separate when mixed. Food makers utilize them widely to improve texture and extend shelf life in a variety of ultra-processed meals.

“Emulsifiers can directly modulate the composition and function of the intestinal microbiota, driving microbiota encroachment and chronic low-grade intestinal inflammation, thus exacerbating metabolic disorders and predisposing to several diseases such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and other cardiometabolic disorders,” stated Rakesh Kumar Prasad, Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology at Fortis Hospital in Noida.

The most recent research is being conducted in India, where diabetes is quite common worldwide. According to ICMR statistics, 11.4 per cent of Indians are expected to have diabetes overall, and 15.3 per cent to have prediabetes.

The physicians advised consumers to stay away from processed meals since they put them at danger, especially if they often consume processed foods or foods that include emulsifiers as additives.