"Why a Sugar in Red Meat May Trigger Inflammation Neu5Gc is produced naturally by most mammals, but humans lost the ability to make it following an ancient mutation in the CMAH gene. Despite this evolutionary change, the sugar can still enter the human body through food. It occurs in red meat (particularly beef and lamb), with smaller amounts also found in dairy products. After Neu5Gc is consumed, the body absorbs it and can incorporate it into human tissues. Because humans do not naturally produce the molecule, the immune system may recognize it as foreign. Scientists classify it as a xeno-autoantigen, a foreign substance that becomes incorporated into the body's own tissues and can provoke an immune reaction. In response, the immune system produces antibodies against Neu5Gc. The resulting prolonged immune activity, called xenosialitis (xenosialitis), has previously been associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer. Researchers suspect that this persistent inflammatory response could also contribute to type 2 diabetes. However, before this investigation, no large prospective study had examined whether dietary Neu5Gc might promote diabetes through chronic inflammation." https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261017230031.htm