A major French study has found that several widely used food preservatives may be linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

The research tracked more than 112,000 adults for nearly eight years, analyzing their diets and health outcomes over time.

Results showed that 5,544 participants developed hypertension and 2,450 experienced cardiovascular disease events during the study period.

Researchers reported that higher consumption of non-antioxidant preservatives was associated with a 29% higher risk of hypertension and a 16% higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

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They also found that greater intake of antioxidant preservatives was tied to a 22% increase in hypertension risk.

Among 17 preservative additives consumed by at least 10% of participants, eight were connected to higher rates of hypertension.

Only one preservative, ascorbic acid—the additive form of vitamin C—was significantly associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study clarified that this finding does not implicate natural dietary vitamin C from fruits, vegetables, or supplements, but specifically its use as a processed food additive.

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Published in the European Heart Journal, the findings add to a growing body of evidence examining the effects of ultra-processed foods, which make up about 72% of packaged products in the United States.

Dr. Marc Siegel, a Fox News senior medical analyst not involved in the research, said the study supports previous evidence linking preservatives to heart and vascular conditions.

“This is a very important study that puts together what we already know – that preservatives of all kinds raise blood pressure and contribute directly to heart disease and stroke over eight years,” Siegel said.

He cited previous findings showing potassium sorbate and potassium metabisulphite were linked to higher blood pressure, while sodium nitrite—consumed regularly by 73% of study participants—was also connected to the risk.

According to Siegel, sodium nitrite is common in foods such as hot dogs, ham, bacon, and deli meats.

He noted that while the heightened risk linked to ascorbic acid was surprising, it may relate to its use as a chemical preservative rather than a natural nutrient.

“For all the sodium additives, this is expected, but surprising with extracts of rosemary and citric acid—the key to both of these ingredients is when they are used as preservatives,” Siegel added.

Because the research was observational, it could not establish direct causation between preservatives and the health conditions observed.

Researchers also acknowledged that the study population differed from the general French population, as participants were typically healthier, better educated, and more often female.

The authors noted the possibility of underdiagnosed hypertension and potential inaccuracies in self-reported dietary intake.

They stressed that the results should be confirmed in further studies among other populations before being used to guide regulatory action.

If future research replicates the findings, the authors suggested that certain preservatives could undergo new safety reviews focused on cardiovascular effects.

Siegel concluded that consumers should aim for foods made with natural ingredients and approach sodium-based preservatives with caution due to their potential link to heart disease and stroke.