Benzene is a carcinogen that causes tumors in rodents at multiple sites and leukemia in humans.
It is most commonly used in the industrial production of other chemicals. A byproduct of gasoline, it’s used as a solvent in paints and thinners and in the manufacture of hundreds of other products and substances.
It has been discovered in many brands of soft drinks in concentration up to 10-20 ppb.
In 1993, Professor Glenn Lawrence of Long Island University first discovered the presence of benzene in soft drinks containing ascorbic acid.
In response to consumer pressure the FDA is beginning to analyze soft drinks for benzene.
Later, it was listed by health authorities around the world although is not thought to pose a health risk in the levels found in drinks.
Benzene is not in the product as produced, but under certain conditions, benzene can form in beverages containing benzoic and ascorbic acids.
Beverage producers are now reformulating the ingredients to avoid the reaction.
Benzene in beverage
The Most Popular Posts
-
Chemical hazard are chemicals that can get into food by improper storage of chemical or chemical containers or by using chemicals improperly... -
Some bacteria enter the intestine live, survive the acidic environment of the stomach, and then produce a harmful toxin inside the human dig... -
A biological hazards is an agent in food with potential to cause human illness. It is the most significant hazards in our food. Biological h...
-
If HACCP is not properly applied, then it may not result in an effective control system. This may be due to improperly trained or untrained...
-
Anything foreign to the food can be considered a physical hazard. Dust, dirt, hair, metal shavings and broken glass, for example, are items ...
