Aim: To increase the awareness towards the health risks of the usage of artificial preservatives and to inform about the advantages of natural preservatives.
Materials and methods: Systematic approach of the available scientific literature on the problem.
Results: Preservatives prolong the shelf-life of food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals by preventing their spoilage caused by microbial growth and unwanted chemical reactions. Nowadays the artificial preservatives - nitrites, nitrates and benzoats (parabens) that possess antimicrobial activity, are widely used. They destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria, molds and yeasts in the products. Some of them are toxic; some even have life-threatening effects. The recent investigations show that big part of the artificial preservatives such as nitrates, benzoates, sulphates,p arabens etc. can cause serious health hazards - from headaches and diarrhea to hypersensitivity reactions, asthma attacks, neurological disorders and cancer. Therefore people are looking towards the nature in search of natural preservatives.
Conclusions: The recent investigations recommend the use of natural preservatives as safer to human health.
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