New research suggests that a food additive suppresses the immune system – Quartz

Some common foods contain an ingredient that could make the body more vulnerable to the flu.

Recent scientific work has so far been limited to laboratory mice, that is, there is still a long way to go before knowing if humans are experiencing the same effects. Nevertheless, if scientific evidence proves this, it could have an impact on the functioning of food businesses and give health experts new insight into how people are more exposed to influenza.

Tert-Butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is an aromatic organic compound that companies often use as a preservative for unsaturated vegetable oils and many animal fats. Food companies have found it useful to extend the shelf life of products such as frozen meats, crackers and fried foods.

Scientists at Michigan State University have reported that when laboratory mice with TBHQ in their body were exposed to the influenza virus, this chemical made the immune T cells that fight infections more slow. This, in turn, increases the likelihood that the disease will settle down completely.

The most common hypothesis of researchers is that TBHQ is responsible for these effects by triggering some of the body's proteins known to suppress the immune system, according to the study's author and doctoral candidate. Michigan State, Robert Freeborn.

The research has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. The work was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics on April 8 in Orlando, Florida.

Officials from the European Food Safety Authority and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have analyzed the ingredient in the past and found it safe for human consumption. The FDA requires that TBHQ levels do not exceed 0.02% of the oil or fat content of the food in which it is used.

Some scientific studies have shown that exposure to high concentrations and prolonged exposure to high concentrations of TBHQ could have adverse effects on the health of laboratory animals. in particular, it can increase the risk of tumors in the stomach. However, in 1986, a Dutch scientist, Gerrit J. Van Esch, reviewed the available scientific data on QHB and found that humans were eating well below the level of QHB required before the negative side effects observed in studies of the animals are not noticed.

Any new information collected by the research team could ultimately contribute to the fight against the flu. At present, people are encouraged to get vaccinated every year against the flu to protect themselves against the spread of infection. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 650,000 people worldwide die each year from the disease, of which about 60,000 are in the United States alone.