Scientists are warning that a common food preservative called Nisin, which is widely used in products such as beer, cheeses, and dipping sauces, may be harmful to gut health. Nisin is an antimicrobial preservative that is naturally produced by bacteria to eliminate competition from other microbes by killing them. It is categorized as a “lantibiotic” due to its composition of lantipeptides, which are special bacteria-derived molecules. While highly effective at preventing food-borne diseases, Nisin may also harm the beneficial microbes in the gut. Zhenrun “Jerry” Zhang, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Chicago, emphasized that Nisin is essentially an antibiotic that has been added to food for a long time, and its impact on gut microbes has not been well studied. Although effective in preventing food contamination, it could have a significant impact on human gut microbes. A recent study published in the journal ACS Chemical Biology revealed that gut-derived lantibiotics can affect disease-causing microbes as well as beneficial bacteria in the gut. The study found that the good gut microbes were just as vulnerable to lantibiotics as the harmful microbes causing disease.
A stock photo shows a woman purchasing packaged cheese. Nisin is a common preservative used in cheeses, dipping sauces, packaged meats and other products, and researchers are studying the links between nisin consumption and changes in the gut microbiome.
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These “good” bacteria, collectively known as the gut microbiome, play a crucial role in digestion, immunity, and mental health. Consequently, the elimination of these beneficial bacteria could have serious repercussions for overall well-being, including creating opportunities for harmful bacteria to dominate the gut. Notably, certain “good” gut bacteria also produce lantibiotic compounds, albeit in small amounts. Another study, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, indicated that even low concentrations of nisin can travel through the gastrointestinal tract and modify the gut microbiome in the lower intestine. However, the researchers also observed that these changes were reversible, with normal microbiome populations returning within three days of nisin consumption. Newsweek welcomes questions about the gut microbiome and any health concerns, which can be sent to health@newsweek.com. The publication is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and seeking common ground.
