NutritionFacts.org
Browsing: Home / Videos / Is Sodium Benzoate Harmful?

Health Topics

Browse through 1,580 different health topics
from A-Z!
  1. #
  2. A
  3. B
  4. C
  5. D
  6. E
  7. F
  8. G
  9. H
  10. I
  11. J
  12. K
  13. L
  14. M
  15. N
  16. O
  17. P
  18. Q
  19. R
  20. S
  21. T
  22. U
  23. V
  24. W
  25. X
  26. Y
  27. Z
Browse All Topics

Is Sodium Benzoate Harmful?

When combined with ascorbic acid in soda, sodium benzoate can form the potent carcinogen benzene

November 4, 2010 |
GD Star Rating
loading...
FavoriteLoadingAdd to My Playlist

Topics

Supplementary Info

Is Sodium Benzoate Harmful?, 5.0 out of 5 based on 3 ratings

Sources Cited

P. J. Nyman, G. W. Diachenko, G. A. Perfetti, T. P. McNeal, M. H. Hiatt, and K. M. Morehouse. Survey results of benzene in soft drinks and other beverages by headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. J. Agric. Food. Chem., 56(2):571-576, 2008.

Acknowledgements

Transcript

And speaking of soft drink additives, the preservative sodium benzoate. Harmful, Harmless, or Healthy?
I’d go with harmful, in part because of a little thing called benzene. When ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate get together, they can form the potent carcinogen benzene.
The FDA and EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency, measured and reported benzene levels in about 200 brands last year. More than 60% of the beverages were contaminated, with about a third exceeding safety levels set for drinking water. What’s even more shocking is that an internal memo was discovered showing that soda industry knew—for the last 18 years—that their products contained benzene but they chose not to reveal this fact. In a company statement, Coca Cola responded saying that there was much more benzene in cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and canned tuna. But when you have to compare your product to cigarettes, tuna, and gasoline to make it look safe by comparison, there’s probably a problem.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

To help out on the site please email volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. And check out this video on benzene in carrot juice. Also, there are 1,449 other subjects covered in the rest of my videos--please feel free to explore them as well!

Also, be sure to check out my associated blog posts: Vitamin B12: how much, how often?, Is Caffeinated Tea Really Dehydrating?, and Soymilk: shake it up!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

    Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. And check out this video on benzene in carrot juice. Also, there are 1,449 other subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them as well!

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/herehere/ HereHere

    I can’t believe this preservative is still allowed on store shelves!!! I am glad I refused to buy products with this additive in it, but it sure is ubiquitous. I notice that the vegan cheese by daiya has titanium dioxide in it, and I’m concerned about how that might act within the body or react with other foods.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Great question! According to the World Health Organization’s IARC, there do not appear to be any problems associated with the consumption of titanium dioxide as a food additive.

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/herehere/ HereHere

        Thanks for posting that! It’s a huge document, but most of the studies cited were investigating risk to the lungs – even where the titanium dioxide (TiO2) was introduced via the trachea! Also, the conclusion on p.275 is 6.1 Cancer in humans
        There is inadequate evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of titanium dioxide.
        6.2 Cancer in experimental animals
        There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of
        titanium dioxide.
        6.3 Overall evaluation
        Titanium dioxide is possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B).
        However, many countries have approved TiO2 in food at levels less than 1% (India only allows it in chewing gum and a couple other foods and beverages).
        I was surprised how many animals were used in studying this additive. I think the more consumers accept additives in their foods, the more manufacturers will produce more additives (and hence, use animals to assess the safety of such additives). Also, this additive was invented in 1924, so it hasn’t been around as long as, say, baking soda. It is a highly inert substance, so is probably safe for most people if eaten in small quantities. Personally, I will try to avoid it, but I’d rather have a wee bit of daiya cheese than cow cheese based on comparative risk.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/toxins/ Toxins

    What about sodium benzoate as a soy sauce preservative?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/herehere/ HereHere

      I would avoid it, if I were you. Like the sodas in the study, foods can be acidic, and your stomach acids certainly are! Thankfully, if you look hard enough, you can find soy sauce without preservatives (aside from salt, which is turning out to be more benign than previously thought).

      • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/toxins/ Toxins

        I am using a soy sauce substitute, “low” sodium soy sauce has 500 mg per serving of sodium.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/toxins/ Toxins

    My ACT Restoring mouthwash contains sodium benzoate. Although i do spit out the liquid, there is still residue in my mouth which i will of course inadvertently swallow. Do you see a risk in this?

  • Michael Greger M.D.

    Also be sure to check out my associated blog post Vitamin B12: how much, how often?!

  • Goodnews

    Dr. Greger, I would like to know if Sodium Benzoate is bad for fatty liver disease?

  • http://www.facebook.com/InjunSun Herne Webber

    Since I have virtually lived on diet pop for my entire adult life (~26 years), what is the cumulative effect I might expect? I have tried to cut down in the past, only to be laid waste by nauseating migraines from caffeine addiction. Since I don’t care for coffee enough to want to go through all of the bother of making it, and I prefer cold drinks (since I get sweats a lot due to permanent viral guests), should I just switch to really strongly brewed green tea?

  • Ronald M. Chavin

    Here’s an interesting study that contradicts what you said about aspartame being the likely cause of preterm deliveries:
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22854404
    Because the odds ratios aren’t much higher than 1.00, the real cause could be anything from sodium benzoate and phosphoric acid to miscalculation of confounding variables to less consumption of polyphenols.

©2012 NutritionFacts.org - All Rights Reserved | In partnership with the Jesse & Julie Rasch Foundation
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact Us