Researchers are challenging the notion that food additives may harm the human gut microbiome, as people have commonly believed. None of the eight common food additives studied induced short-term gut dysbiosis nor impacted short-chain fatty acid production.
Nutrition Insight speaks with paper co-author, professor Rajaraman Eri, who explains what has driven this misconception in earlier research: “In our published study, we used the so-called normal doses, reflecting real-world consumption levels. At that level, the responses are not that disruptive.”
“Science evolves over time. It is not a fixed set of absolute truths but a process that refines understanding as new evidence emerges. Earlier studies often used experimental conditions that differed substantially from real-life exposure, which may have shaped…