Research promoted by USP evaluated the brains of rats after they ingested a compound responsible for giving the product a buttery taste for 90 consecutive days
Who hasn’t had microwave popcorn? Present in the homes of millions of people around the world, the popular food is one of the most remembered when watching series and movies. However, what perhaps not everyone knows is that Excessive consumption can cause serious health problems..
In a study carried out by researchers at the São Carlos Institute of Chemistry (IQSC) at USP, scientists identified molecules associated with Alzheimer’s in the brains of rats that consumed diacetyl for 90 days in a row, the compound responsible for giving popcorn its aroma and buttery taste. microwave. The research result reinforces the thesis that regular consumption and high concentrations of the substance can cause brain damage.
“We observed that there really is this tendency for diacetyl to damage the brain. Of the 48 brain proteins that we evaluated after the animals were exposed to the product, 46 suffered some type of deregulation or modification in their structure due to prolonged consumption of the compound. During the analyses, we identified an increase in the concentration of beta-amyloid proteins, which are normally found in Alzheimer’s patients. In addition, other protein alterations seen in the rats’ brains may also be related to the onset of dementia and cancer.”explains Lucas XimenesPhD student at IQSC and author of the research.
UNDERSTAND HOW RESEARCH FOUNDED THAT EATING TOO MUCH MICROWAVE POPCORN CAN CAUSE ALZHEIMER’S
According to the scientist, diacetyl affected both the brains of male and female rats, with some regions of the organ being more compromised, such as the hypothalamus. “Until then, it was not known exactly what the possible effects and modifications that the compound could generate in the brain of living organisms, there are few studies in this sense, it is still a universe that has been little explored. In addition, some works use absurd amounts of the compound, up to 50 times greater than ours, which facilitates the appearance of problems. What we did was use diacetyl concentrations closer to what a normal daily intake would be.”reveals Lucas, who is guided by the teacher Emanuel Carrilho of the IQSC.
The rats’ brains were evaluated with the help of two devices. One of them, called a mass spectrometer, reads and generates heat maps of the organs, forming a kind of fingerprint of the brains. With this, it is possible to observe how and in which regions certain proteins and diacetyl are distributed. In a second step, another device, called a chromatograph, helps to determine whether these proteins have undergone changes, such as an increase in their concentration or some worrisome structural change. The tests were carried out with a total of 12 rats, half of which were the control group (which took a placebo) and the other half ingested diacetyl.
Widely used in the most varied branches of industry, diacetyl has gained prominence in the food sector, mainly for its use as a preservative and flavoring (a substance that gives flavor and aroma). It can be found naturally in the composition of coffees, beers, chocolates, milks and yogurts, diacetyl is used in microwave popcorn as an additive, in higher concentrations. Despite its consumption being approved by regulatory agencies, prolonged exposure to the product can be harmful to health and, as it is present in the daily life of the population, different studies seek to understand the influence of the compound on living organisms and how it can alter biological functions.
According to Lucas, some research has already shown that diacetyl is capable of causing lung problems, such as bronchitis obliterans. The disease was even called “microwave popcorn disease” and, if left untreated, can even lead to death. “Its cause was related precisely to this high exposure to diacetyl. It emerged after some researchers followed elderly people who lived eating microwave popcorn and ended up developing the disease due to excess consumption”says the scientist from USP.
In the next steps of the study, the IQSC researchers intend to carry out new tests with a greater number of animals, aiming to broaden the understanding of the results obtained so far. “The main message that our work leaves is that we need to be careful and worry more and more about the quality of our food. Of course, sporadically eating certain foods is okay, but some pleasures in excess can be harmful. In addition, another major focus of our work is to raise awareness among the people who work in popcorn factories. As much as we eat the product, we have much less contact with diacetyl than workers who handle or even inhale the compound daily”concludes the doctoral student, who is co-supervised by Professor Nilson Assunção, from the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp).
The study was supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).
Source: Recreio
