- Tart-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is a common food supplement used to prolong shelf life.
- It is associated with an increase in food allergies as it induces an allergic reaction in the body.
- Experts say the FDA needs to update preservative guidance based on new research.
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Pop-Tarts and Cheese contain food preservatives that are likely to damage your immune system by disrupting cell proteins, according to a new study by the Environmental Working Group.
Like many processed snacks, they also contain tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), a preservative commonly used to prolong shelf life.
In a study published Wednesday in the international journal Environmental Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers found that TBHQ affects immune cell proteins that can weaken the immune system.
The researchers looked at the chemical properties of various snacks and reviewed previous research to evaluate what potential toxins were available for the immune system. They found that TBHQ is present in a few products, and studies of animals and test tubes indicate that it damages the immune system.
This study is based on previous research finding TBHQ to be harmful.
In a study in rats, the TBHQ made the flu vaccine less effective. Another study on mice found that this may be the reason behind the increase in food allergies because it causes T-cells to release proteins that stimulate allergies in nuts, milk, eggs and shellfish. There have been no studies in humans, although reports of vision impairment have been received in people who consume TBHQ.
The FDA should conduct chemical tests on foods that may be harmful to the immune system.
The Food and Drug Administration takes a hand-off approach, while controlling itve ditches that can be harmful.
Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at EWG, said in a statement that the FDA often allows the food and chemical industry to determine which substances are safe for consumption.
The last FDA-approved additives were in 2002, and the organization does not update its guidelines based on new toxicology studies. But the EWG said the FDA should review TBHQ as new science emerges.
The parent company of Kellogg’s, Cheese-Eats and Psp-Tarts, did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
