Big Mac

Flagged additives

• Sodium benzoate — Preservative; can form trace benzene (a carcinogen) when combined with ascorbic acid; implicated in child hyperactivity studies.
• Sulphur dioxide — Sulphite preservative; can trigger asthma/allergic-type reactions, especially in asthmatics.
• Sodium propionate — Propionate preservatives have been associated in limited studies with behavioural/irritability effects in children and with migraine in sensitive individuals; evidence is weak.
• Calcium propionate — Propionate preservatives have been associated in limited studies with behavioural/irritability effects in children and with migraine in sensitive individuals; evidence is weak.
• Phosphoric acid — Acidulant (colas); high total phosphate intake linked to bone-mineral and renal concerns in some studies.
• Polysorbate 80 — Synthetic emulsifier linked in animal and in-vitro studies to gut-microbiome disruption and intestinal inflammation; human evidence is emerging.
• Diphosphates — Inorganic phosphate additives are highly bioavailable; high additive-phosphate intake is associated with increased cardiovascular and kidney burden, particularly in chronic kidney disease.