Food Additives News

January 17, 2026

Top Headlines

How Scientists Are Turning Thyme Into Precision Medicine

Jan. 17, 2026 Thyme extract is packed with health-promoting compounds, but it is difficult to control and easy to waste. Researchers created a new technique that traps tiny amounts of the extract inside microscopic capsules, preventing evaporation and irritation. ...

Vitamin a May Be Helping Cancer Hide from the Immune System

Jan. 16, 2026 A vitamin A byproduct has been found to quietly disarm the immune system, allowing tumors to evade attack and weakening cancer vaccines. Scientists have now developed a drug that shuts down this pathway, dramatically boosting immune responses and ...

This New Sugar Tastes Like the Real Thing Without the Usual Downsides

Jan. 13, 2026 Scientists at Tufts have found a way to turn common glucose into a rare sugar that tastes almost exactly like table sugar—but with far fewer downsides. Using engineered bacteria as microscopic factories, the team can now produce tagatose ...

Common Food Preservatives Linked to Higher Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Jan. 9, 2026 Foods that rely heavily on preservatives may be doing more than extending shelf life. In a large study spanning more than a decade, people with the highest intake of preservative additives were far more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. The ...

This Common Food Ingredient May Shape a Child’s Health for Life

Dec. 26, 2025 Scientists discovered that common food emulsifiers consumed by mother mice altered their offspring’s gut microbiome from the very first weeks of life. These changes interfered with normal immune system training, leading to long-term inflammation. ...

This Cancer-fighting Molecule Took 50 Years to Build

Dec. 22, 2025 MIT scientists have achieved the first-ever lab synthesis of verticillin A, a complex fungal compound discovered in 1970. Its delicate structure stalled chemists for decades, despite differing from related molecules by only two atoms. With the ...

Sugar-free Sweeteners May Still Be Harming Your Liver

Dec. 20, 2025 Sorbitol, a popular sugar-free sweetener, may not be as harmless as its label suggests. Researchers found it can be turned into fructose in the liver, triggering effects similar to regular sugar. Gut bacteria can neutralize some of it—but too much ...

The 98% Mystery: Scientists Just Cracked the Code on “Junk DNA” Linked to Alzheimer’s

Dec. 19, 2025 Researchers have revealed that so-called “junk DNA” contains powerful switches that help control brain cells linked to Alzheimer’s disease. By experimentally testing nearly 1,000 DNA switches ...

New Study Shows Some Plant-based Diets May Raise Heart Disease Risk

Dec. 15, 2025 Researchers tracking over 63,000 adults found that high-quality, minimally processed plant foods significantly reduce cardiovascular risk. But when those plant foods are ultra-processed, the advantage disappears—and can even backfire. Some ...

Global Surge in Ultra-processed Foods Sparks Urgent Health Warning

Nov. 24, 2025 Ultra-processed foods are rapidly becoming a global dietary staple, and new research links them to worsening health outcomes around the world. Scientists say only bold, coordinated policy action can counter corporate influence and shift food systems ...

CRISPR Brings Back Ancient Gene That Prevents Gout and Fatty Liver

Nov. 14, 2025 By reactivating a long-lost gene, researchers were able to lower uric acid levels and stop damaging fat accumulation in human liver models. The breakthrough hints at a future where gout and several metabolic diseases could be prevented at the ...

The Bright Colors in Your Food May Be Harming Your Kids

Nov. 7, 2025 Almost 20% of packaged foods and beverages in the US contain synthetic dyes, often paired with excessive sugar to attract children. These additives have been linked to behavioral issues, yet remain widespread among major brands like Mars and ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:54am EST

Sunflowers May Be the Future of "vegan Meat"

Nov. 4, 2025 A collaboration between Brazilian and German researchers has led to a sunflower-based meat substitute that’s high in protein and minerals. The new ingredient, made from refined sunflower flour, ...

Your Bedroom Glow Might Be Quietly Damaging Your Heart

Nov. 3, 2025 Boston researchers linked nighttime light exposure to greater stress-related brain activity and inflamed arteries, signaling a higher risk of heart disease. The study suggests that artificial light ...

Eating Ultra-Processed Foods May Rewire the Brain and Drive Overeating

Oct. 20, 2025 A massive brain imaging study of nearly 30,000 people has uncovered striking connections between eating ultra-processed foods and measurable changes in brain structure. These changes may be tied to ...

Scientists Just Debunked the Calcium and Dementia Myth

Oct. 18, 2025 A long-term Australian study found that calcium supplements do not raise dementia risk in older women, countering previous fears. The research followed more than 1,400 participants for nearly 15 ...

A Flu Test You Can Chew

Oct. 3, 2025 Flu detection could soon be as simple as chewing gum. Scientists have created a molecular sensor that releases a thyme-like flavor when it encounters influenza, offering a low-tech, taste-based ...

Four Strange Secrets Scientists Just Found in Beer and Wine

Sep. 28, 2025 Beer and wine, staples of human history for millennia, are still yielding new surprises. Recent research highlights how yeast extracts can cloud lagers, gluten can be quickly detected with a simple ...

Hardly Anyone Uses This Surprisingly Simple Fix for High Blood Pressure

Sep. 20, 2025 Despite strong evidence that salt substitutes can safely lower sodium intake and reduce high blood pressure, very few Americans use them. A new analysis of nearly 20 years of national health data ...

A Common Supplement Could Reverse the Hidden Harm of Sucralose

Sep. 6, 2025 Sucralose, the sugar substitute in many diet products, may weaken cancer immunotherapy by altering gut bacteria and reducing arginine levels needed for immune cells. But supplementation with arginine ...

Sweeteners in Diet Drinks May Steal Years from the Brain

Sep. 4, 2025 A large Brazilian study following more than 12,000 middle-aged adults found that those consuming the most artificial sweeteners—commonly found in diet sodas, flavored waters, and processed ...

Beet Juice Secretly Helps Older Adults Lower Blood Pressure in Just Two Weeks

Aug. 31, 2025 Drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice lowered blood pressure in older adults by reshaping their oral microbiome, according to researchers at the ...

A Hidden Sugar Source in Ketchup, Salad Dressing, and Toothpaste

Aug. 25, 2025 UBC researchers revealed that gut bacteria can digest cellulose-based food thickeners, once thought indigestible, by using enzymes activated by natural dietary fibers. This discovery suggests these ...

How Much Damage Are Ultraprocessed Foods Really Doing to Your Health?

Aug. 10, 2025 Many foods we consume today are ultraprocessed, packed with unhealthy ingredients, and linked to major health risks. As consumption of these foods rises, so do chronic health issues, especially among ...

Artificial Sweeteners Could Soon Taste Just Like Sugar

Aug. 25, 2025 Scientists have identified compounds that block bitter taste receptors activated by saccharin and acesulfame K. The most promising is (R)-(-)-carvone, which reduces bitterness without the cooling ...

This Diet Helped People Lose Twice as Much Weight, Without Eating Less

Aug. 5, 2025 People eating minimally processed foods lost twice as much weight as those on ultra-processed diets, even though both diets were nutritionally balanced and participants could eat freely. This ...

This Gut Hormone Could Explain 40% of IBS-D Cases—and Lead to a Cure

July 29, 2025 A mysterious gut hormone may be behind many cases of chronic diarrhea, especially in people with undiagnosed bile acid malabsorption, a condition often mistaken for irritable bowel syndrome. ...

July 19, 2025 Erythritol, a widely used sugar substitute found in many low-carb and sugar-free products, may not be as harmless as once believed. New research from the University of Colorado Boulder reveals that ...

Sweet but Risky: Common Sweeteners May Be Accelerating Puberty in Kids

July 15, 2025 Kids who consume artificial and natural sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, and glycyrrhizin may face an increased risk of early puberty, especially if they carry specific genetic markers. This ...

New Tech Tracks Blood Sodium Without a Single Needle

July 6, 2025 Scientists have pioneered a new way to monitor sodium levels in the blood—without drawing a single drop. By combining terahertz radiation and optoacoustic detection, they created a non-invasive ...

Atom-Thin Tech Replaces Silicon in the World’s First 2D Computer

June 12, 2025 In a bold challenge to silicon s long-held dominance in electronics, Penn State researchers have built the world s first working CMOS computer entirely from atom-thin 2D materials. Using molybdenum ...

Myth-Busting Study Shows Controversial Seed Oils Reduce Inflammation

June 21, 2025 A new study is turning heads by challenging the popular belief that seed oils are harmful to health. Researchers analyzed blood markers from nearly 1,900 people and found that higher levels of ...

Understanding Cultural Differences in Salt Usage May Help Lower Consumption

May 28, 2025 An analysis of data from a national health survey conducted before the pandemic found that pizza, soup and chicken are some of the main sources of sodium (salt) intake for people in all racial and ...

A High-Fat Diet Sets Off Metabolic Dysfunction in Cells, Leading to Weight Gain

May 28, 2025 Researchers find high-fat diets set off metabolic dysfunction in cells, leading to weight gain, but these effects can be reversed by treatment with an ...

Intestinal Bacteria Influence Aging of Blood Vessels

May 28, 2025 The aging of the innermost cell layer of blood vessels leads to cardiovascular diseases. Researchers have now shown for the first time that intestinal bacteria and their metabolites contribute ...

Scientists Say Microplastics Are 'Silently Spreading from Soil to Salad to Humans'

May 22, 2025 A review has stressed that agricultural soils now hold around 23 times more microplastics than ...

A Potential 'Anti-Spice' That Could Dial Down the Heat of Fiery Food

May 22, 2025 If you've ever regretted ordering a spicy meal, take note: A new study identifying molecules that suppress the heat of chili peppers hints at the possibility of adapting these compounds into an ...

Eating Ultra-Processed Foods May Harm Your Health

May 8, 2025 Eating even small amounts of ultra-processed foods—like soda, chips, or packaged cookies—can steadily increase your risk of serious health problems. A massive study reviewing data from over 8 ...

Scientists Map Tongue's Sweet Sensor, May Lead to New Ways to Curb Sugar Cravings

May 7, 2025 Scientists have mapped the 3-D structure of the human sweet taste receptor, the molecular machine that allows us to taste sweet things. This could lead to the discovery of new regulators of the ...

Concerning Chemicals from the Wear of Climbing Shoes Cause Trouble in Indoor Halls

Apr. 29, 2025 Those who climb indoors are doing something for their health. But climbing shoes contain chemicals of concern that can enter the lungs of climbers through the abrasion of the soles. In a recent ...

Global Study Links Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods to Preventable Premature Deaths

Apr. 28, 2025 A study analyzing data from nationally representative dietary surveys and mortality data from eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United Kingdom, and United States) ...

Artificial Skin from Hydrogels

Apr. 15, 2025 Growing cells in the laboratory is an art that humans have mastered decades ago. Recreating entire three-dimensional tissues is much more challenging. Researchers are developing a new hydrogel-based ...