Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical found in smog and gasoline. It can cause leukemia at high levels of consumption.
It occurs naturally in some foods like meat, eggs and bananas.
In the early 1990s, scientist discovered that benzene can form in soft drinks that contain both ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium benzoate (a preservative) if the soft drink is exposed to high heat.
The FDA worked with manufacturers at that time to reformulate their beverages so that the drinks would not pose a safety risk.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a limit pd 5 parts per million (ppb) of benzene for drinking water, and beverages must follow that standard.
The FDA conducts a total diet study to determine levels of contaminants and nutrients on a wide variety of foods. The analytical procedures are designed to detect multiple pesticide residues, industrial chemicals and levels of both toxins and nutrients found in foods.
When FDA evaluated the data, it found beverage levels of benzene that were substantially above EPA levels of 5 ppb.
Although benzene can cause acute toxicity, especially when inhaled at high levels it is carcinogenic that is of concern in foods and beverages.
Benzene is a proven carcinogen and has been shown to cause cancers in industrial workers exposed to high airborne levels.
Much less is known about its effects when ingested at low levels over long periods but currents risk assessments suggest that the contribution of soft drinks to benzene exposure levels is negligible as is any additional risk to human health.
Benzene
Benzene is an organic chemical found in smog and gasoline. It can cause leukemia at high levels of consumption.
It occurs naturally in some foods like meat, eggs and bananas.
In the early 1990s, scientist discovered that benzene can form in soft drinks that contain both ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium benzoate (a preservative) if the soft drink is exposed to high heat.
The FDA worked with manufacturers at that time to reformulate their beverages so that the drinks would not pose a safety risk.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a limit pd 5 parts per million (ppb) of benzene for drinking water, and beverages must follow that standard.
The FDA conducts a total diet study to determine levels of contaminants and nutrients on a wide variety of foods. The analytical procedures are designed to detect multiple pesticide residues, industrial chemicals and levels of both toxins and nutrients found in foods.
When FDA evaluated the data, it found beverage levels of benzene that were substantially above EPA levels of 5 ppb.
Although benzene can cause acute toxicity, especially when inhaled at high levels it is carcinogenic that is of concern in foods and beverages.
Benzene is a proven carcinogen and has been shown to cause cancers in industrial workers exposed to high airborne levels.
Much less is known about its effects when ingested at low levels over long periods but currents risk assessments suggest that the contribution of soft drinks to benzene exposure levels is negligible as is any additional risk to human health.
Benzene
