8 Common Food Preservatives Linked to High Blood Pressure in Study of 112,000 People
September 22, 2026 | Source: Science Alert | by Carly Cassella
Scientists have identified eight chemicals commonly used to preserve food that are linked to a greater risk of high blood pressure.
The long-term study tracked the health and diets of 112,395 people in France over roughly seven to eight years.
Those who consumed the most preservatives had a 24 percent higher risk of developing high blood pressure.
What’s more, participants who consumed the most non-antioxidant preservatives had a 16 percent higher relative risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Non-antioxidant preservatives are designed to prevent food from spoiling by inhibiting bacterial or fungal growth, rather than by preventing oxidation.
But even some antioxidant preservatives that are chemically identical to naturally occurring compounds, like vitamin C, were tied to negative health outcomes.
These additives are sometimes used to stop fruit or vegetables from turning brown.