Food preservative may influence appetite, tiny study hints
NCT ID NCT07437430
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tests whether a single dose of potassium sorbate, a common food preservative, changes how much people with obesity eat over 24 hours. Twenty adults will receive either the preservative or a placebo, then switch after a break. The main goal is to see if the study methods work, not to prove any effect on weight.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- potassium sorbate (a common food preservative)
- What this could lead to
- If this pilot shows that potassium sorbate affects how much people eat, it could point toward a need for larger studies on food additives and weight gain.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 20 people, testing a single dose. It is designed to see if the study methods work, not to prove any effect on weight. Results may not apply to real-world eating habits.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Feb 2026
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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20 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Males and females age 20-80; BMI 30-39 kg/m2 inclusive; willingness and ability to follow the proposed study interventions and procedures; informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Weight loss of ≥3% in the last 3 months; previous or planned bariatric surgery in the next 1 year; current or planned participation in any structured weight-loss programs; current or recent (within the last 6 months) use of weight-loss-inducing drugs (including GLP-1 agonists); history of frequent intermittent or continuous use of systemic steroids; excessive alcohol consumption; recent or anticipated adjustments to mood, anxiety or anti-psychotic medications; untreated bipolar disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; eating disorder or any other disorder that may lead to significant weight changes; breastfeeding, pregnancy, planned pregnancy or planned fatherhood in the next 6 months; type 1 diabetes; uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (HbA1C≥9%); diabetes requiring treatment with insulin; aversion to foods that will be served during testing sessions.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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McMaster University Medical Centre
RECRUITINGHamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada
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