Recent food safety incidents in Europe have renewed scrutiny of dietary risks and their global relevance. In June 2025, Escherichia coli-contaminated meat in France’s Aisne region caused several severe cases of food poisoning, including one death. Earlier outbreaks included contaminated pizzas linked to two infant deaths in France in 2022 and more than 70 reported cases of salmonellosis tied to cheese consumption in 2024.

Microbiological hazards remain a concern worldwide, but they represent only part of contemporary food-related risk. Modern diets also expose populations to chemical contaminants and nutritional imbalances that contribute to chronic disease.

Nutritional Balance

A balanced diet remains a core determinant of health across regions. Diets high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat increase the risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancer conditions that together account for a large share of global morbidity and mortality. In contrast, higher intake of fibre-rich foods, including fruits, vegetables, and legumes, is consistently linked to lower cardiometabolic risk across populations.

Several countries have introduced front-of-pack nutrition labelling to guide consumer choices. In France and elsewhere in Europe, the Nutri-Score label was updated in 2025 and supported by a national information campaign. Despite evidence of its usefulness, its use remains voluntary. Similar labelling debates continue worldwide, with considerable variation in frameworks across regions.

Processing Exposure

Beyond nutrient composition, the degree of food processing has emerged as an independent risk factor recognised internationally. Ultraprocessed foods, as defined by the NOVA classification, are products that have undergone extensive industrial processes and are formulated with ingredients such as hydrogenated oils, protein isolates, and glucose/fructose syrup and additives including colourings, sweeteners, and emulsifiers.

Data from France’s NutriNet-Santé cohort, a large French epidemiologic study involving more than 180,000 participants, have established links between ultraprocessed foods and an increased incidence of chronic diseases: cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Ultraprocessed products frequently contain multiple additives, including sweeteners, emulsifiers, and nitrites, several of which have been tied to metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and gut-microbiota disruption.

Recent articlespublished inThe Lancet have reinforced these concerns and proposed population-level interventions: labelling foods by processing degree, restricting marketing to children, limiting availability in schools and hospitals, and reducing retail density. The authors stressed the need for coordinated international public health responses to counter commercial influences that cross national borders.

Chemical Contaminants

Chemical exposures further complicate dietary risk assessment. Pesticides used to protect crops can leave residues in agricultural products. Choosing organically grown foods helps reduce this risk.

Persistent organic pollutants such as dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a global concern because of their environmental persistence. These stable compounds accumulate in the food chain, especially in animal fat.

Prolonged exposure has been linked to neurotoxic, immunotoxic, and endocrine effects, with possible implications for reproductive health and cancer. International dietary advisories typically recommend moderating the intake of fatty fish, dairy products, eggs, and red meat to limit cumulative exposure.

Microbiota Variability

Food additives are used globally to enhance texture, flavour, colour, and shelf life. Certain emulsifiers and sweeteners have been shown in experimental and human studies to alter gut-microbiota composition.

Evidence indicates that some emulsifiers such as carboxymethylcellulose, found in many industrial baked goods and packaged breads, may promote inflammatory bowel disease or metabolic disturbances. Individual susceptibility varies, reflecting differences in baseline microbiota shaped by genetics, environment, and diet.

A study conducted by researchers from Inserm and the Institut Pasteur showed that sensitivity to this emulsifier can be predicted through microbiota analysis. This discovery thus opens the way to a personalised nutrition approach based on the gut microbiota in order to maintain good intestinal and metabolic health.

Practical Guidance

Key recommendations include using the Nutri-Score front-of-pack label, which guides food choices through a validated and widely recognised nutritional rating system. Consumers are also encouraged to consult MangerBouger.fr, the public information platform of France’s National Nutrition and Health Program, which provides evidence-based guidance on balanced diets and regular physical activity.

Additional strategies include using the Open Food Facts application, a free and collaborative database that offers detailed information on nutritional composition, product quality, and the presence of food additives. Public health guidance also supports reducing the consumption of ultraprocessed foods in favour of fresh or minimally processed options and prioritising a varied, fibre-rich diet to promote a diverse and stable gut microbiota.

This story was translated from Univadis France, part of the Medscape Professional Network.