Alert Issued on Toxic Substance Tied to Rising Suicide Rates in the UK

EXPERTS have today sounded the alarm over a food preservative linked to rising numbers of UK suicide deaths.

The substance, which The Sun has chosen not to name, is increasingly accessible online by young “tech-savvy” people, researchers warned.

Rates of deaths by suicide had fallen across the country since the early 1990s Credit: Getty

Rates of deaths by suicide had fallen across the UK since the early 1990s.

But evidence suggests there has been a recent increase in fatalities that have coincided with around the world linked to the food preservative.

In a new study, researchers at Queen Mary University of London analysed over 160 details of people who died by suicide, with the substance found in their blood.

These cases were submitted by coroners, forensic pathologists, and forces between March 2019 and August 2024 with postmortem samples.

Most came from London, the south east of , Ireland, and the Midlands – but this may be due to coroners being more aware of the substance, rather than it being the true number of cases where the preservative was linked, researchers said.

There were also more male cases (109) compared to women (52).

Levels of the food preservative found in the blood samples were 100 times higher than would be expected physiologically in 87 per cent of cases.

Writing in the journal BMJ Public , they said “this suggests that swallowing the chemical was intentional”.

They also noted that analysis of the food preservative isn’t required for all suspected suicides, so it is also unclear how many such deaths may be linked to the substance.

“It is therefore likely that the cases included here represent a substantial underestimate of the actual incidence,” the researchers wrote.

“Collectively, these findings establish unequivocally that use of [the substance] in the UK as a method of suicide is both substantial and concerning,” they added.

The rise in cases among predominantly young people, who tend to be tech savvy, is also concerning and warrants “urgent action”, they said.

“This trend has emerged alongside accessible online information detailing how [the substance] can be obtained and used, disseminated both under the guise of providing support and for more explicitly harmful purposes,” they said.

Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, a professor of vascular pharmacology at Queen Mary University of London and the study’s lead researcher, also added: “This is an extremely difficult subject to talk about, and we appreciate the impact that this might have on all those affected by suicide.

“What our research shows is deeply upsetting.

“But it makes clear why urgent steps are needed to regulate access to this chemical and to reduce the spread of harmful information about it online.”

In the UK, coroners that have highlighted suicides involving online purchases of the food preservative, have long asked the Government to take action.

Under UK , sellers must inform law enforcement officials of any suspicious purchases of the substance.

However, it is unclear how often such reports are made.

UK: For help and support, call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone, completely anonymously, on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.

US: If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.