Additives in Processed Foods as a Potential Source of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: A Review

Processed foods, accounting for most consumable food categories today, contain considerable amounts of food additives. Food additives are substances added to food products to improve taste, consistency, appearance, or shelf life. Various food additives, such as phthalates, bisphenol A, tartrazine, e...

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Main Authors: Anand Paramasivam, Rajadurai Murugan, Mathew Jeraud, Angel Dakkumadugula, Ravisankar Periyasamy, Selvam Arjunan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Journal of Xenobiotics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/14/4/90
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author Anand Paramasivam
Rajadurai Murugan
Mathew Jeraud
Angel Dakkumadugula
Ravisankar Periyasamy
Selvam Arjunan
author_facet Anand Paramasivam
Rajadurai Murugan
Mathew Jeraud
Angel Dakkumadugula
Ravisankar Periyasamy
Selvam Arjunan
author_sort Anand Paramasivam
collection DOAJ
description Processed foods, accounting for most consumable food categories today, contain considerable amounts of food additives. Food additives are substances added to food products to improve taste, consistency, appearance, or shelf life. Various food additives, such as phthalates, bisphenol A, tartrazine, erythrosine, artificial sweeteners, and parabens, have been identified as potential sources of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in processed foods. EDCs are substances that frequently interfere with the regular functioning of the endocrine system, creating an unusual environment in the biological system, which leads to adverse health effects such as the disruption of hormone synthesis, receptor binding, and signal transduction pathways, as well as energy metabolic homeostatic disorders which potentially increasing the risk of obesity, type-2 diabetes, cardiometabolic diseases and may also trigger allergic reactions. Consequently, they can also impact mammary gland development, and reproductive function, further leading to developmental abnormalities. This review aims to insights into the various food additives that act as potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and to describe their applications in the food industry, as well as the failure of hormonal homeostatic mechanisms, which eventually result in hazardous health effects. It also outlines strategies to reduce the use of food additives and suggests alternative additives with minimal or no endocrine-disrupting properties, highlighting their importance for maintaining human health.
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spelling doaj-art-18d705a3456c4c10ba8badeb9f43728d2025-08-20T02:39:40ZengMDPI AGJournal of Xenobiotics2039-47052039-47132024-11-011441697171010.3390/jox14040090Additives in Processed Foods as a Potential Source of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: A ReviewAnand Paramasivam0Rajadurai Murugan1Mathew Jeraud2Angel Dakkumadugula3Ravisankar Periyasamy4Selvam Arjunan5Department of Physiology, RVS Dental College and Hospital (Affiliated to The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai 600032, Tamil Nadu, India), Kumaran Kottam Campus, Kannampalayan, Coimbatore 641402, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Food Technology, Faculty of Life and Allied Health Sciences, M S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bangalore 560054, Karnataka, IndiaDepartment of Physiology, Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies, Jeddah 22421, Saudi ArabiaClinical Division, Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad 500007, Telangana, IndiaDepartment of Anatomy, SRM Dental College, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Bharathi Salai, Ramapuram Campus, Chennai 600089, Tamil Nadu, IndiaLerner Research Institute, Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USAProcessed foods, accounting for most consumable food categories today, contain considerable amounts of food additives. Food additives are substances added to food products to improve taste, consistency, appearance, or shelf life. Various food additives, such as phthalates, bisphenol A, tartrazine, erythrosine, artificial sweeteners, and parabens, have been identified as potential sources of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in processed foods. EDCs are substances that frequently interfere with the regular functioning of the endocrine system, creating an unusual environment in the biological system, which leads to adverse health effects such as the disruption of hormone synthesis, receptor binding, and signal transduction pathways, as well as energy metabolic homeostatic disorders which potentially increasing the risk of obesity, type-2 diabetes, cardiometabolic diseases and may also trigger allergic reactions. Consequently, they can also impact mammary gland development, and reproductive function, further leading to developmental abnormalities. This review aims to insights into the various food additives that act as potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and to describe their applications in the food industry, as well as the failure of hormonal homeostatic mechanisms, which eventually result in hazardous health effects. It also outlines strategies to reduce the use of food additives and suggests alternative additives with minimal or no endocrine-disrupting properties, highlighting their importance for maintaining human health.https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/14/4/90food additivesendocrine-disrupting chemicalsreceptor bindinggene expressionthyroid dysfunctiondevelopmental effects
spellingShingle Anand Paramasivam
Rajadurai Murugan
Mathew Jeraud
Angel Dakkumadugula
Ravisankar Periyasamy
Selvam Arjunan
Additives in Processed Foods as a Potential Source of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: A Review
Journal of Xenobiotics
food additives
endocrine-disrupting chemicals
receptor binding
gene expression
thyroid dysfunction
developmental effects
title Additives in Processed Foods as a Potential Source of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: A Review
title_full Additives in Processed Foods as a Potential Source of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: A Review
title_fullStr Additives in Processed Foods as a Potential Source of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: A Review
title_full_unstemmed Additives in Processed Foods as a Potential Source of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: A Review
title_short Additives in Processed Foods as a Potential Source of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: A Review
title_sort additives in processed foods as a potential source of endocrine disrupting chemicals a review
topic food additives
endocrine-disrupting chemicals
receptor binding
gene expression
thyroid dysfunction
developmental effects
url https://www.mdpi.com/2039-4713/14/4/90
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