{"id":8836,"date":"2021-10-08T13:58:28","date_gmt":"2021-10-08T13:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenchoicenow.com\/v\/?p=8836"},"modified":"2021-10-13T18:09:13","modified_gmt":"2021-10-13T18:09:13","slug":"is-sodium-benzoate-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenchoicenow.com\/v\/is-sodium-benzoate-safe","title":{"rendered":"Is Sodium Benzoate Safe to Eat?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Take a walk down any grocery store aisle and you\u2019re guaranteed to encounter an ingredient that feels like another language. Those long names that only a chemistry buff would understand can leave you feeling intimidated at best, and concerned for your long-term health, at worst.

Sodium benzoate is one of those ingredients, and it\u2019s commonly found in common kitchen staples \u2013 from pickles to salad dressings to soft drinks<\/strong> (1<\/a>).

Those who are conscientious about how specific additives may affect their health may wonder whether sodium benzoate is another ingredient to add to their list of no-gos.

So, is sodium benzoate safe to eat when it comes to promoting long and short-term health?

Here\u2019s a breakdown of what sodium benzoate is, what the possible benefits and risks are, and what\u2019s most important to look for when shopping for products that commonly contain sodium benzoate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is sodium benzoate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sodium benzoate is a food additive that\u2019s commonly used to preserve food and beverages and add flavor. It helps prevent foodborne illnesses and infections by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi during storage \u2013 making it a valuable tool in ensuring packaged foods are safe to eat (2<\/a>).

It\u2019s listed among the \u201cgenerally regarded as safe\u201d (GRAS) compounds by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as long as it falls below the levels designated as safe for consumption \u2013 in this case, a concentration of up to 0.1% (3<\/a>).

Common foods in which sodium benzoate is used include margarine, sauces, marmalades, gelatin, liqueurs, beers, fruit juices, and soft drinks  (2<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Does sodium benzoate have any health benefits?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sodium benzoate is known to be useful for managing symptoms caused by urea disorders, and it\u2019s undergoing ongoing research as a potential treatment for a range of other medical conditions, including multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease (4<\/a>, 5<\/a>).

Outside of these medical uses, sodium benzoate has no proven nutritional or health benefits for the general population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are the risks of sodium benzoate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sodium benzoate does pose health concerns, but further research is needed to understand its link to particular negative health effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For one, sodium benzoate is added to many soft drinks and fruit juices as a preservative. It can react with the ascorbic acid present in these beverages and form benzene, which has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen \u2013 a cancer-promoting compound \u2013 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, studies suggest that the amount of benzene that forms in sodium benzoate-containing soft drinks is too low to pose any meaningful risk for the general population (6<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, a small number of children have been reported to experience allergic reactions to products containing the additive. It is also thought to influence neurotransmission and cognitive functioning, but more research is needed (5<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What foods have sodium benzoate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sodium benzoate can be found in certain food and beverage products within the following categories (7<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n