Food colouring additives and cancer incidence in the NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort
Menée à partir de données de la cohorte française "NutriNet-Santé" portant sur 105 260 adultes (âge moyen : 42 ans ; 78,3 % de femmes ; durée de suivi : au moins 7 ans), cette étude analyse l'association entre la consommation de colorants alimentaires et le risque de cancer (4 226 cas)
Our study aimed to assess potential associations between food colouring additives and cancer incidence in the French NutriNet-Santé cohort. A total of 105,260 adults (78.3% females; mean age 42.0 ± 14.5y) without prevalent cancer and who completed ≥ 2 24-hour dietary records at baseline were followed for > 7 years. Dietary intakes were assessed using repeated brand-specific 24 h records, and cumulative time-dependent exposure to food additives was evaluated through multiple composition databases and ad-hoc laboratory assays in food matrices. Associations between exposures to food colouring additives (sex-specific tertiles if proportion of exposed participants > 2/3, or non-exposed/lower/higher exposed based on sex-specific median otherwise) and cancer incidence were assessed using multivariable Cox models. We identified 4,226 incident cancer cases (508 prostate, 1,208 breast [387 premenopausal and 821 postmenopausal], and 352 colorectal). Total food colouring additives were associated with higher overall [HRhigher versus non/lower consumers (95%CI): 1.14 (1.05–1.24); absolute risk at age 60: 13.3% (higher consumers) vs. 12.1% (lower/non-consumers)], breast [1.21 (1.03–1.42); 5.7%, 4.8%], and postmenopausal breast [1.32 (1.09–1.61); 14.9%, 12.5%] cancer incidence. After False Discovery Rate correction, only plain caramel (European code: E150a) was associated with overall cancer [1.15 (1.07–1.25); 14.0%, 12.1%] and beta-carotene (E160a) with overall [1.16 (1.07–1.25); 13.7%, 11.9%] and breast cancer [1.41 (1.23–1.62); 6.2%, 4.4%]. This study provides novel exploratory evidence linking colouring additives to cancer incidence. Further research is needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms. Findings support recommendations to limit exposure to non-essential food additives (i.e. used primarily for sensory or aesthetic purposes rather than for food safety or preservation) and inform regulatory reassessment.
European Journal of Epidemiology , résumé, 2026