Diets in wealthier countries often include processed foods that contain additives, particularly emulsifiers. These additives are increasingly associated with the development of various diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
A research team led by Benoit Chassaing, PhD, research director at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), focused on one such emulsifier — carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) — which is commonly found in processed baked goods, such as brioche and sandwich bread, and ice cream.
The study, published in the journal Gut, describes how the team developed a new method that uses a simple stool sample to predict an individual’s sensitivity to CMC.
Sensitivity Detection
In a previous clinical trial conducted on healthy…