Phosphate additives used in fast food ‘pose risk to health’

Washington - Excessive consumption of phosphate is damaging to health due to which food products containing its additives should be labelled, researchers have recommended.

Eberhard Ritz and his co-authors selectively reviewed the literature on the subject, which documents the fact that ex-cessive phosphate consumption elevates mortality in patients with renal disease.

Recent studies have also shown that phosphate apparently damages blood vessels and induces aging pro-cesses. Free phosphate, the type found in food additives, is entirely resorbed in the gastroin-testinal tract.

People with renal disease have been found to have a markedly elevated serum phosphate concentration.

Phosphate additives are present in many types of fast food, which are eaten mainly by persons of lower socioeconomic status. It seems likely that excessive phosphate consumption is linked to the increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the general population.

The authors conclude that physicians and the public need to be educated about the role of phosphate additives as a risk factor for disease.

The study has been published in Deutsches Arzteblatt International.