Why processed food may cause bowel cancer

Common additives used in every day foods including bread, margarine and sweets may be behind the huge rise in bowel cancer, scientists claim.

Emulsifiers, which are added to most processed foods to aid texture and extend their shelf life, alter gut bacteria.

Experts fear the additives may be creating higher amounts of bad bacteria, disrupting the healthy balance within the gut.

This alteration causes inflammation within the intestine which provides tumours with a habitable environment to grow in, new research suggests.

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