Cancer from Benzene from the Preservative Sodium Benzoate in Beverages?

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

Benzene, a carcinogen that can cause cancer in humans, can form in beverages containing benzoate preservatives and certain acids—for example, Fanta soda. It’s interesting that Coca-Cola chose to disclose that the artificial colors it uses can cause ADHD symptoms, rather than just not using them.

Anyway, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was informed by the soda industry about the hazard back in 1990––yet 15 years later was still finding it in some soft drinks. This prompted a national survey of nearly 200 beverages for the presence of benzene in soda and other beverages. The maximum contaminant level of benzene considered safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is zero in water supplies––though that’s not always possible to reach since benzene spews from cigarettes, car exhaust, and fireplaces. So, the European Union allows one part per billion, and the United States ended up allowing five parts per billion, since it would be too costly to push for less cancer. California holds the line at one part per billion, but its goal for public health is 0.15 parts per billion based on cancer risk from leukemia, because a lifetime exposure to one part per billion would cause seven additional people per million to get cancer who otherwise wouldn’t. Okay, so how did the beverages do?

Of the 199 beverages tested, 37 percent had no detectable benzene, and another third had less than one part per billion, but 40 beverages exceeded the European and California water standards, and 18 violated U.S. federal standards.

However, soda is not the only source. In a survey of 451 beverage samples, benzene was found as a heat-induced contaminant of carrot juice for babies. And 94 percent of the carrot juice for infants had detectable levels of this carcinogen with average concentrations around two parts per billion. But no benzene was found in unheated fresh carrot juice.

Obviously, water standards are much stricter. But if the only safe intake is zero, any avoidable exposure to benzene should be avoided. And tainted soft drinks are definitely avoidable.

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• Nyman PJ, Diachenko GW, Perfetti GA, McNeal TP, Hiatt MH, Morehouse KM. Survey results of benzene in soft drinks and other beverages by headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. J Agric Food Chem. 2008;56(2):571-576.
• The Coca-Cola Company. Fanta: Product Information.
• United States Food and Drug Administration. Chemical Contaminants – Benzene.
• United States Environmental Protection Agency. Benzene Summary.
• European Union. Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption. Official Journal of the European Communities. November 1998.
• United States Environmental Protection Agency. Consumer Factsheet on Benzene.
• Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency. Public Health Goal for Benzene in Drinking Water. February 2001.
• Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency. Estimated Risks from Short-term Exposures to Benzene in Drinking Water. April 2019.
• Lachenmeier DW, Reusch H, Sproll C, Schoeberl K, Kuballa T. Occurrence of benzene as a heat-induced contaminant of carrot juice for babies in a general survey of beverages. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2008;25(10):1216-1224.

Motion graphics by Avo Media

• ADHD
• artificial colors
• benzene
• beverages
• cancer
• cigarettes
• Coca-Cola
• fruit juice
• leukemia
• soda
• water