Additive E551 may promote gluten intolerance
𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 by the European Food Safety Authority are used in 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝. One of the most widespread is 𝐄𝟓𝟓𝟏, also known as 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚. This is an 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐜𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 used in a variety of food products, including spices, dry foods such as instant coffee and cereal-based baby formulas. It prevents the formation of lumps while preserving the texture and taste of food products.
A recent study by the Institut de la recherche agronomique (Inrae), carried out in collaboration with McMaster University in Canada, demonstrated that 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 in the intestine by 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬. Chronic exposure to E551 could therefore 𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, as well as celiac disease in 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬.
Further in-depth studies are required to clarify the role of this additive on health.