{"id":211020,"date":"2024-02-14T07:04:17","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T11:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=211020"},"modified":"2024-02-14T07:04:17","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T11:04:17","slug":"nisin-health-alert-safe-food-additive-may-have-consequences-for-gut-microbiome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=211020","title":{"rendered":"NISIN HEALTH ALERT! ‘Safe’ Food Additive May Have Consequences For Gut Microbiome"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Authored by Amy Denney via The Epoch Times<\/a>\u00a0(emphasis ours),<\/em><\/p>\n

A naturally derived antibiotic that helps preserve food by killing any threatening pathogens has kept our food safe for decades.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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(Drazen Zigic\/Shutterstock)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The\u00a0World Health Organization<\/a>\u00a0and even\u00a0watchdog groups<\/a>\u00a0have classified\u00a0this additive, called nisin<\/strong>, as safe. Nisin is a lantibiotic\u2014a peptide-derived antimicrobial agent synthesized from its natural form\u2014first\u00a0discovered in 1928<\/a>\u00a0and commonly used in products such as cheese, beer, processed meats, and dipping sauces.<\/p>\n

Nisin is made when bovine milk or whey is\u00a0fermented by strains<\/a>\u00a0of Lactococcus lactis that are concentrated and processed into small particles<\/strong>. In addition to being used as a food preservative, nisin can be found in beauty products, pharmaceuticals, and pet products.<\/p>\n

However\u00a0new research raises concern about whether nisin could be harmful to the human gut microbiome<\/strong>\u2014the community of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms that work symbiotically to help with body functions like digestion and immune response.<\/p>\n

Potency of Lantibiotics<\/h2>\n

A study published in\u00a0ACS Chemical Biology<\/a>\u00a0examined human gut bacteria genomes to identify those that resemble nisin. Researchers then produced six lantibiotics, including four new ones, and tested them on microbes.\u00a0While the researchers found that these new candidates kill pathogenic bacteria, they also discovered they have varying effects on commensal (favorable) microbes, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cEven though it might be very effective in preventing food contamination, it might also have a greater impact on our human gut microbes<\/strong>,\u201d lead author\u00a0Zhenrun \u201cJerry\u201d Zhang<\/a>, a postdoctoral scholar and director of the Duchossois Family Institute at the University of Chicago, said in a news release.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis study is one of the first to show that gut commensals are susceptible to lantibiotics, and are sometimes more sensitive than pathogens. With the levels of lantibiotics currently present in food, it\u2019s very probable that they might impact our gut health as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Each person has a unique microbiome and the balance of commensal microbes is what helps the body protect itself from pathogens, create important metabolites, and more. Food additives that kill commensals could be destroying the very community that is protecting our bodies from the pathogens in food, and leaving us worse off than if we\u2019d simply eaten contaminated food, the news release pointed out.<\/p>\n

The fact that an antimicrobial additive would kill beneficial microbes isn\u2019t too surprising<\/strong>, Catherine Rall, a certified nutritionist who works with the women\u2019s wellness company\u00a0Happy V<\/a>, told The Epoch Times in an email.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis makes a certain amount of sense. Preservatives are designed to keep microbes from growing on our foods, and many of them aren\u2019t too discriminating about which microbes they affect,\u201d she said. \u201dI suspect that we\u2019re going to find more and more preservatives with these kinds of effects as we learn more about our microbiomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slippery Slope of Bioengineering<\/h2>\n

A more sinister concern arises from the slippery slope of bioengineered food that\u2019s becoming more commonplace,\u00a0Robert Verkerk<\/a>, founder and executive and science director of the nonprofit Alliance for Natural Health, told The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n

These foods may have antimicrobial properties designed into them.<\/p>\n

Bioengineered food is modified in a lab to alter genetic material in ways that cannot be found in nature or done by conventional breeding, according to the\u00a0U.S. Department of Agriculture<\/a>. In some cases, disclosure of bioengineered ingredients on food labels is discretionary.<\/p>\n

While this new study doesn\u2019t mention bioengineered forms of nisin, Mr. Verkerk said that it\u2019s the kind of research that lays the groundwork for the development of patented products. The Alliance for Natural Health is an international organization that promotes and protects natural, sustainable, and bio-compatible approaches to health optimization.<\/p>\n

When a company identifies a microbe that may have a biological use, they can use technology to engineer it\u2014sometimes drastically changing its properties\u2014patent it, and potentially slip it into the food supply chain under the [U.S.] Food and Drug Administration\u2019s \u201cgenerally regarded as safe\u201d (GRAS) umbrella, he explained.<\/p>\n

Genetic engineering was popularized in the 2000s with the mass production of genetically modified organisms, now common in the food industry<\/strong>. The government has generally disregarded \u201clittle tweaks\u201d of genome editing as long as an organism\u2019s similar trait is being passed on, Mr. Verkerk said.<\/p>\n

This business model that encourages patents, biotechnology, and exclusivity often results in products that bypass thorough safety testing. And while the original intent of nisin (also known as food additive E 234) was noble\u2014it protects us from the rare but toxic\u00a0Clostridium botulinum<\/a>\u00a0in food\u2014new variants may easily be slipped into food without us knowing that it\u2019s an engineered product.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe minute a human starts to tweak the genome or these microbes, you basically start to play God and do things that could take years to find out,\u201d Mr. Verkerk said. \u201dYou shouldn\u2019t be able to get these through the front door saying these are GRAS.\u201d<\/p>\n

Examining Labels<\/h2>\n

Nisin does have to be listed on food ingredient labels, with the exception being processed cheese that naturally contains the nisin-producing bacteria, Mr. Verkerk said.<\/p>\n

The additive can also be found in\u00a0food packaging materials<\/a>, though it doesn\u2019t have to be declared on labeling if there\u2019s no risk of it leaching into food.<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, Mr. Verkerk said it would be hard to determine if nisin has been bioengineered because companies can claim the product\u2019s manufacturing is proprietary.<\/p>\n

Bioengineered forms of nisin have been\u00a0around for decades<\/a>\u2014created to \u201cenhance the efficacy and stability of nisin under different physiologic conditions, and to enhance its pharmacokinetic properties for a variety of biological applications,\u201d according to\u00a0a 2016 article<\/a>\u00a0in the Journal of Applied Microbiology.<\/p>\n

Several variants of genetically modified nisin have been identified, the article said, adding that research on the different products\u2019 applications can be anticipated. Nisin has also been studied for use in human disease and veterinary medicine with promising results.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe continued unearthing of new natural variants from within human and animal gastrointestinal tracts has sparked interest in the potential application of nisin to influence the microbiome, given the growing recognition of the role the gastrointestinal microbiota plays in health and disease,\u201d according to a\u00a02023 article<\/a>\u00a0in FEMS Microbiology Reviews.<\/p>\n

While it makes sense to use a natural variation of nisin\u2014such as those derived from the human gut microbiome\u2014as a food additive, Mr. Verkerk pointed out that even naturally occurring biological products aren\u2019t guaranteed to be universally effective or safe.<\/p>\n

Because each person\u2019s microbiome with its trillions of microbes is unique in composition, Mr. Verkerk said there\u2019s no way to predict the response without more research.<\/p>\n

However, he added,\u00a0it\u2019s hard to be critical of the study, which is simply foundational research. He warns that such research is likely to lead to patented products that could be put into the market with possible harm.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt [the study] seems to be very carefully done,\u201d Mr. Verkerk said of the study. \u201cIt\u2019s not close to an end product, but it\u2019s part of a journey that would take us to an end product.\u201d<\/p>\n

Protecting Personal Health<\/h2>\n

In some ways, lantibiotics have escaped criticism because of their use in fermented foods\u2014something that\u2019s come to be associated with improved health. In nisin\u2019s case, the bacteria is\u00a0found in cow\u2019s milk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an easy sell in a lot of ways because everyone knows fermentation is good,\u201d Mr. Verkerk said.<\/p>\n

However, that doesn\u2019t mean that the microbes being used are advantageous for human health. In some cases, they could be microbes that have not traditionally been part of the food supply\u2014creating new preservatives foreign to human digestion that could ultimately lead to an increase in gastrointestinal issues, Mr. Verkerk said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ramifications in terms of chronic disease and autoimmune disease are absolutely huge,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re just going to become more and more allergic and intolerant to the food we are eating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Verkerk recommends the following tips to help consumers protect themselves:<\/p>\n