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Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Diabetes. Jun 15, 2023; 14(6): 705-723
Published online Jun 15, 2023. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v14.i6.705
Food contaminants and potential risk of diabetes development: A narrative review
Maja Milanović, Nataša Milošević, Nataša Milić, Milica Medić Stojanoska, Edward Petri, Jelena Marković Filipović
Maja Milanović, Nataša Milošević, Nataša Milić, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
Milica Medić Stojanoska, Faculty of Medicine, Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University Clinical Center of Vojvodina, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
Edward Petri, Jelena Marković Filipović, Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
Author contributions: Milanović M collected data and wrote the paper; Milošević N, Milić N, Medić Stojanoska M, Petri E collected data, reviewed and edited the paper; Marković Filipović J conceptualization, supervision, review and editing.
Supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, 451-03-68/2022-14/200125; and Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research, AP Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia, 142-451-3120/2022-01.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jelena Marković Filipović, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia. jelena.markovic@dbe.uns.ac.rs
Received: December 27, 2022
Peer-review started: December 27, 2022
First decision: February 20, 2023
Revised: March 3, 2023
Accepted: April 13, 2023
Article in press: April 13, 2023
Published online: June 15, 2023
Processing time: 169 Days and 17.9 Hours
Abstract

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to increase, especially among younger populations. Apart from genetic predisposition and lifestyle, there is increasing scientific and public concern that environmental agents may also contribute to diabetes. Food contamination by chemical substances that originate from packaging materials, or are the result of chemical reactions during food processing, is generally recognized as a worldwide problem with potential health hazards. Phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and acrylamide (AA) have been the focus of attention in recent years, due to the numerous adverse health effects associated with their exposure. This paper summarizes the available data about the association between phthalates, BPA and AA exposure and diabetes. Although their mechanism of action has not been fully clarified, in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological studies have made significant progress toward identifying the potential roles of phthalates, BPA and AA in diabetes development and progression. These chemicals interfere with multiple signaling pathways involved in glucose and lipid homeostasis and can aggravate the symptoms of diabetes. Especially concerning are the effects of exposure during early stages and the gestational period. Well-designed prospective studies are needed in order to better establish prevention strategies against the harmful effects of these food contaminants.

Keywords: Acrylamide; Bisphenol A; Phthalates; Endocrine disrupting chemicals; β-cell; Diabetes

Core Tip: One of the most important steps in the prevention and control of diabetes and related disorders is the identification of potential risk factors. Phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and acrylamide (AA) are chemicals that are ubiquitously present in the environment and have the ability to act as contributing factors with adverse health effects. Human exposure to phthalates, BPA and AA mainly occurs through ingestion. This paper summarizes the available data about the association between phthalates, BPA and AA exposure and diabetes in order to examine the potential role of these contaminants in the development and progression of this complex disorder.