Center for Research on Ingredient Safety

What’s the concern around dishwasher detergents? What do the videos claim??

A 2023 paper titled “Gut epithelial barrier damage caused by dishwasher detergents and rinse aids” has been featured in a few viral videos. The videos imply that products such as “dishwasher pods” and “dishwasher detergents” used in a home setting are causing harm to our gut health.

The videos specifically imply that people are more likely to experience “leaky gut syndrome,” which they suggest increases the likelihood of experiencing “inflammation and autoimmune diseases” while simultaneously altering specific cells’ ability to survive and disrupting metabolic processes.

What evidence do the videos on dishwasher detergent safety pull from the paper?

The videos typically focus on the paper’s sensational headline and then pick data from the paper that fits the creators’ desired narratives.

The videos feature out-of-context charts and quotations that, while accurate, are not representative of human exposure when used as directed.

These videos intentionally invoke fear. They suggest an everyday product that simplifies our lives is causing sickness. The videos encourage a narrative that natural products, or frequently more time-intensive actions, are the only way to remain safe and healthy.

Do dishwasher detergents and rinse aids cause harm to gut health? What does the paper say? What do experts take from the paper?

Let’s look at the core claims made by the paper’s authors:

• Increased gut inflammation

• Increased gut permeability (leaky gut)

Let’s look at increased gut inflammation.

For inflammation to occur, immune cells must be present in the body. Without immune cells, there is no inflammation. The study has no immune cells, meaning claims about inflammation are unsubstantiated.  

Let’s look at increased gut permeability (leaky gut).

The paper looks at specific dilution ratios. The dilution ratios presented in the paper are significantly higher than any concentration we’d be exposed to when using products as designed and directed in a home setting.

For example, the dilution ratio in one experiment was more than 300 times more concentrated than what we’d be exposed to in a typical use setting. Even the highest dilution factor they explored was 2 times more concentrated than a typical use case.

The authors used colorectal cancer cells to represent healthy gut epithelial cells. While this may be an appropriate cell choice for some models, it does not accurately mimic healthy intestinal tissue

The paper’s conclusions do not mimic human biology or human exposure, meaning the conclusions are not relevant to our day-to-day lives.

The scientist’s takeaway about dishwasher detergent safety.

When used as directed, dish detergents and rinse aids are safe and effective.

However, if you eat concentrated dishwasher pods or rinse aids, you can harm your health. Use products as directed and keep them away from small children.

What should I look for in videos that make sensational claims about the safety of products, foods, or cosmetic ingredients?

There are two important things to look for in videos making sensational claims:

• Creator’s objective: Is the video from an account seeking to sell a product, course, or lifestyle? If so, understand that the information will be curated to fit the creator’s objective. It may not represent the actual risk.

• Creator’s source material: Does the source material make the same claims as the content creator? Unfortunately, headlines of all sorts, including academic papers, are intentionally provocative to catch attention. You must look deeply at the source to see if it’s relevant to the human experience.

If you still have questions or concerns about an ingredient or contaminant, you can email us or submit your concern anonymously at go.msu.edu/cris-idea.

The good news.

We can continue using the products we know and trust without health concerns. If you still have questions or concerns about an ingredient or product, we are here to help you separate the science from the sensation

If you have any questions about ingredients or ideas for a blog post, please send us an email or submit your idea to us at go.msu.edu/cris-idea