This article was written by Holly Tritschler (Student Dietitian & Dietetically Speaking intern) and reviewed by Maeve Hanan (Disordered Eating Specialist Dietitian & Founder of Dietetically Speaking).

Adding emulsifiers to food to improve texture, taste and appearance has been in practice for hundreds of years (1). But more recently emulsifiers have come under scrutiny amid rising concerns about food additives and the level of processing of food. 

Social media, documentaries, and “clean eating” trends have fuelled fear-based messaging around processed foods, often painting additives like emulsifiers as harmful or unnatural. But these conversations often lack context and can contribute to unnecessary anxiety around eating.

This article aims to cut through the noise surrounding emulsifiers by explaining what they are, what the research actually says, and how to navigate food choices without fear.

What Are Emulsifiers? 

Emulsifiers help mix two liquids that normally don’t blend, like oil and water, into a smooth mixture. (2). Without emulsifiers, the product lacks stability, and these two liquids will try to separate. 

Emulsifiers are essential ingredients for many of our staple store cupboard products, enhancing shelf life, retaining moisture and improving dough quality. Egg yolks which are high in a natural emulsifier called lecithin, are a key ingredient in mayonnaise, giving it that signature smooth texture. Mustard also stabilises oil and water mixtures in many popular salad dressings (3). 

Indeed, many emulsifiers are naturally occurring or derived from natural sources. Guar gum may sound like something created in a lab, but is actually derived from guar beans and is commonly used in yoghurts, plant based milks and ice cream (4). Acacia gum is produced by the acacia tree and has unique emulsifying properties due to the presence of protein in its structure (5). There are also some synthetically prioduced emulsifiers like carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80.

Where Does the Fear Come From? 

Much of the fear surrounding emulsifiers (and food additives in general) stems from the current demonisation of processed food, which we are getting from all angles — news headlines, personalised nutrition companies, doctors who aren’t qualified in nutrition, social media influencers and wellness-obsessed celebs. Food-focused documentaries also increasingly promote “clean eating” ideals and use emotionally charged language like “toxic”, “ultra-processed”, or “chemical-laden” to describe everyday foods, creating a sense of urgency and danger around common ingredients.

One of the most cited concerns comes from an animal study in which mice fed high doses of two emulsifiers – carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80 – showed signs of gut microbiome imbalance, weight gain, and low-grade inflammation (6).

While this research raised important questions, it’s critical to recognise its limitations:

• The study was conducted on mice, not humans
• Only two emulsifiers were tested
• The doses of individual emulsifiers used were higher than what most people consume through food (in reality, it’s highly unlikely that someone would consume notable amounts of a single emulsifier consistently every day)

Despite these caveats, the findings have often been oversimplified or misrepresented online, fuelling anxiety and mistrust without context. This highlights the importance of looking at the full body of evidence and understanding how scientific research translates (or doesn’t) to everyday eating.

What Does the Science Say?

Although click-bait headlines and viral tiktok videos may say otherwise, there is actually very limited human research into the impact of emulsifiers on health. 

Emulsifiers are regulated and approved for use by food safety authorities like The Food Standards Agency (FSA). They are responsible for checking additives for harmful effects on humans in order to be approved for consumption using the most up-to-date research available (7). 

While some preliminary research suggests a possible link between high emulsifier intake and gastrointestinal health, these studies have significant limitations. Most are short-term, conducted in animals, and lack robust human trials (1,3). So far, research has only focused on three emulsifiers (out of more than 100), often in isolation and at high doses — conditions that don’t reflect how people typically consume them, which is in small amounts and as part of a varied diet.

Some lab and animal studies suggest that emulsifiers might play a role in the development of gut inflammation in conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (8).

A double-blind human study from 2022 also found that consuming the emulsifier carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) for 11 days led to a modest increase in stomach pain after eating and a reduction in gut microbiota diversity (9). Two participants also displayed changes which could suggest gut inflammation. This was a well-designed study and its findings merit further investigation, but it’s important to remember that it’s just one study and it only involved 16 participants over a short period of time.

Overall, there aren’t currently enough high-quality human studies to clearly prove the possible link between certain emulsifiers and IBD. 

Are There Any Health Benefits to Emulsifiers?

Some research has shown that some emulsifiers (particularly the natural ones) may actually be beneficial to human health.

Some emulsifier gums also provide a source of soluble fibre. For example, acacia gum is high in fibre and has been shown to act as a prebiotic, supporting beneficial gut bacteria (10). While it wouldn’t be recommended to increase fibre intake by purposely consuming more emulsifiers, this highlights that not all emulsifiers are inherently harmful—despite how they’re often portrayed in the media.

For people with allergies or intolerances, emulsifiers help create palatable, accessible products such as dairy-free spreads, gluten-free baked goods and plant based milk. This advancement in food science allows people with dietary restrictions to continue to enjoy food products comparable to the taste and texture of standard food items. 

Emulsifiers and Disordered Eating

Fear-based messaging around emulsifiers can have a real impact on how people think about and relate to food. When emulsifiers are labelled as “toxic” or “unnatural” without context, it can lead people to feel anxious or guilty about eating everyday foods that contain them. Over time, this can damage someone’s relationship with food, particularly in those who are already vulnerable to disordered eating.

Avoiding all emulsifiers is not only extremely difficult, but for many, it can become an unnecessary and restrictive rule. This kind of rigid thinking can:

• Increase food anxiety, especially when eating out or buying packaged foods
• Lead to social isolation, as people may start avoiding shared meals or social events due to fear of “unsafe” ingredients
• Create guilt or shame when they inevitably eat something with an emulsifier, reinforcing a cycle of food-related distress

These behaviours often overlap with or fuel orthorexia, an unhealthy obsession with eating “pure” or “clean” foods. While not yet formally recognised as a clinical diagnosis, orthorexia is increasingly seen in people who strive to eat only “natural” or additive-free diets (11). This kind of mindset, often encouraged by wellness influencers and social media trends, can take a serious toll on mental health and quality of life.

It’s important to remember that health is about the whole picture, not individual ingredients.

A Balanced Approach

With so much misinformation and overhyped negative press about emulsifiers online it’s no surprise that there is so much anxiety surrounding them. But making mindful food choices can help alleviate some of this: 

• Focus on the big picture rather than worrying too much about individual ingredients. A varied diet will contain some emulsifiers, and that’s okay.
• The next time you see someone demonising emulsifiers, question whether they are qualified to be giving this kind of advice.
• Be kind to yourself if on some days you have more processed food than others. Processed foods can still be a part of a healthy balanced diet. If you are worried about processed food in general check out our previous article Should Processed Foods be Feared? 

For those struggling with food fears, working with a registered dietitian can help build a more balanced and compassionate approach to eating.

Conclusion

Emulsifiers have been used in food for centuries, and within the context of a balanced diet, they are considered safe by food safety authorities. While some early research has raised questions about certain emulsifiers, much of the concern has been fuelled by sensational headlines and exaggerated claims presented as fact.

It’s important not to let fear-mongering drive your food choices. Avoiding emulsifiers entirely isn’t necessary, nor is it practical for most people. In fact, processed foods that contain emulsifiers can still be part of a nutritious and enjoyable diet.

Remember, no single ingredient determines your health. What truly matters is your overall eating pattern, your relationship with food, and the flexibility to make choices that support both your physical and mental wellbeing.

References

1. Cox et al (2021) ‘Food additive emulsifiers: a review of their role in foods, legislation and classifications, presence in food supply, dietary exposure, and safety assessment’, Nutrition Reviews, 79(6). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuaa038
2. Haschek and Rousseaux (2023) Handbook of Toxicologic Pathology, Elsevier. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/food-emulsifier#definition 
3. Low (2022) ‘Emulsifiers: should we be avoiding them?’, BBC Food. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/emulsifiers 
4. Mudgil et al (2011) ‘Guar gum : processing, properties and food applications – a review’, Journal of Food Science and Technology, 51(3). Available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3931889/ 
5. Mudgil and Mudgil (2024) ‘Acacia gum: Chemistry, properties & food applications’, Food and Humanity, 2. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2949824424000399 
6. Chassaing et al (2015) ‘Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome’, Nature, 519. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature14232 
7. Food Standards Agency (2025) Approved additives and E numbers. Available at: https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/approved-additives-and-e-numbers#emulsifiers-stabilisers-thickeners-and-gelling-agents 
8. Bancil et al (2020) ‘Food Additive Emulsifiers and Their Impact on Gut Microbiome, Permeability, and Inflammation: Mechanistic Insights in Inflammatory Bowel Disease’, Journal of Chrohn’s and Colitis, 15(6). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa254 
9. Chassaing et al. (2022) “Randomized controlled-feeding study of dietary emulsifier carboxymethylcellulose reveals detrimental impacts on the gut microbiota and metabolome”. Gastroenterology, 162(3), 743-756. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34774538/ 
10. Saha and Dey (2024) ‘Pharmacological benefits of Acacia against metabolic diseases: intestinal-level bioactivities and favorable modulation of gut microbiota’, Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry, 130(1). Available at: 10.1080/13813455.2021.1966475 
11. National Eating Disorders Association (2025) Orthorexia. Available at: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/orthorexia/