Preservatives in Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer Risks: Study

Researchers say the findings raise questions about the safety of commonly used food additives and support existing recommendations to favor fresh, minimally processed foods.

Two new studies suggest that there are significant health risks posed by certain widely used preservatives, which are often added to ultra-processed food (UPF) products.

Ultra-processed foods are industrially produced items made with large amounts of added sugars, fats, salt and other chemical additives designed to boost taste, shelf stability or texture, often with minimal nutritional benefit. Common examples include sweetened drinks, packaged snack foods, instant meals and processed meats.

A growing body of scientific research has linked frequent consumption of ultra-processed foods to a range of long-term health concerns, including cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease and childhood prediabetes.

These findings have fueled investigations into processed food lawsuits against major manufacturers, including Kraft Heinz, Coca-Cola, General Mills and Kellogg’s. Many claims raise allegations that companies were aware of the health risks associated with these kinds of products yet continued to market and sell them without adequate warnings, prioritizing profits over consumer well-being.

Ultra-Processed Foods and Cancer

In a new study published in the journal The BMJ on January 7, French researchers examined whether consumption of certain food additive preservatives could be linked to an increased cancer risk.

Led by Anaïs Hasenböhler, the team looked at 105,260 individuals aged 15 and older who had no history of cancer and who provided at least two 24-hour dietary assessments at the start of the study.

Researchers tracked how much preservative participants consumed over time by reviewing repeated 24-hour food diaries, including preservatives found in common packaged and branded foods. The amounts were verified using food composition databases and laboratory testing of products most often eaten. The study then compared cancer rates among people with different levels of preservative intake, accounting for factors like age, sex and other health influences, to determine whether higher consumption was linked to increased cancer risk.

Over an average follow-up period of about seven and a half years, more than 4,200 participants were diagnosed with cancer, including breast, prostate, colorectal and other types.

Hasenböhler’s team found that people who consumed higher amounts of certain food preservatives had a greater risk of developing cancer compared with those who consumed little or none. The strongest links were seen for overall cancer and breast cancer, while specific preservatives were also associated with prostate cancer. However, the study did not find a connection between cancer risk and most of the preservatives examined, with no increased risk observed for 11 of the 17 additives studied.

Ultra-Processed Food Type 2 Diabetes Findings

A separate study by the same French research team, also published on January 7 in Nature Communications, found that higher consumption of food preservatives can be linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as well.

Once again led by Anaïs Hasenböhler, the researchers followed more than 108,000 adults in France for several years to examine the effects of consuming food preservatives on type 2 diabetes development.

Participants recorded what they ate, allowing researchers to track preservative intake from packaged and processed foods using food databases and laboratory testing. 

The study found that people who consumed higher amounts of several commonly used preservatives were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Based on both sets of findings, the researchers said that the safety of processed food additives should be reconsidered. They also reinforced existing health advice encouraging people to choose fresh, minimally processed foods whenever possible.

January 2026 Ultra-Processed Foods Litigation Update

As a result of these kinds of studies, a wave of legal action has begun to take shape over the health effects of ultra-processed foods. One of the earliest processed foods lawsuits was filed in December 2024 by Bryce Martinez, who alleged that major food companies, including Kraft Heinz, Coca-Cola and General Mills, deliberately promoted ultra-processed products to children while failing to disclose known long-term health risks.

After a judge dismissed the initial complaint for lacking sufficient detail, Martinez submitted a revised version of his lawsuit in October 2025, arguing that additional facts could support his claims. Food manufacturers quickly moved to block the refiling, contending that some of the products cited were consumed outside the legally permitted time frame, which they say bars the claims under the statute of limitations. A decision on whether the amended complaint can move forward is expected to have implications for how similar ultra-processed food cases are handled in the future.

More recently, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu filed a separate ultra-processed foods lawsuit on behalf of California residents, accusing food manufacturers of designing these products to drive compulsive eating while minimizing or concealing health risks. The complaint claims companies used industrial additives and behavioral science, including methods previously associated with the tobacco industry, to encourage overconsumption and contribute to rising rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

On January 7, Chiu’s case was removed (PDF) to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, based on diversity jurisdiction.

Unlike individual injury lawsuits, the San Francisco case seeks broad remedies, including court-ordered changes to industry practices, civil penalties and funding to address what officials describe as a public health crisis. Chiu has said the case could shape future regulation of ultra-processed foods and influence both government enforcement actions and private litigation nationwide.

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