E551 is an anti-caking agent which prevents the formation of lumps. Also known as silicon dioxide, it was previously believed to be completely safe and is used without restrictions in many dry and powdered foods, including soups, spices, cereal-based infant formula, instant coffee, cocoa mix, and freeze-dried pasta.
However, a new study by the French National Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment (Inrae) and McMaster University in Canada has shown it can potentially damage the digestive system.
They exposed mice to E551 on a daily basis for three months, and found the animals showed lower oral tolerance to dietary proteins and greater levels of intestinal inflammation.
Over time, they concluded, this could promote the development of coeliac disease in people genetically predisposed to the condition.
The findings of the pioneering study will be presented to food safety agencies, such as the European Food Safety Authority, and it will be up to them to reconsider whether E551 is truly a ‘safe’ additive.
Eric Houdeau, a director of research at Inrae, explained that E551 was shown to reduce the number of intestinal immune cells responsible for producing the anti-inflammatory compounds needed to prevent gut reactivity.
“Nutrients, mainly proteins such as gluten, found in food are accepted by our immune system in the digestive tract, because they are usually harmless,” he said.
“If not, feeding ourselves would be impossible as the body would reject these nutrients and we would constantly have stomach aches and inflammations in the intestine.
“This oral tolerance to proteins develops from birth and helps the body distinguish potential pathogens from important and innocuous nutrients. When this oral tolerance is reduced, it can lead to the body developing allergies, intolerances or autoimmune disorders.”
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Coeliac disease occurs only in people genetically predisposed to it. Around 40% of the population falls into this category but only about 1% are diagnosed with the disease because the symptoms do not necessarily develop severely enough.
There is no treatment or cure – the only option is to cut gluten from your daily food intake.
E551 can be found in the list of ingredients of around 2,600 processed food products in Europe but it is also used in the transformation process of many more foods, and it is not included in the list of ingredients in this case. Consumers could, therefore, be exposed to low quantities of E551 on a daily basis.
