Food reservative: Sodium Benzoate 211 (part 2) Dangerous or NOT?

Sodium benzoate is a kind of salt that may be present naturally in some foods, but is more likely to be chemically produced and added as a preservative to foods. As a preservative, sodium benzoate is added to foods in small amounts only. If too much is added, food may acquire an extremely bitter taste.
The reason sodium benzoate is listed in the ingredients of so many foods is because it is very effective at killing bacteria, fungi and yeast. Most commonly it used as a preservative in high acid content foods, as it only work when the pH balance of foods is less than 3.6. Thus it is effective in most sodas, fruit juice, vinegar as well as in mixed ingredients like salad dressing. It is also used to stop the fermentation process in wines.
Fruits such as apples, cranberries and plums naturally contain sodium benzoate. Cinnamon and cloves also contain small amounts. However, the presence of sodium benzoate in these foods doesn’t necessarily act to preserve them.
You may be able to taste sodium benzoate in the foods to which it has been added - around 75% of people can taste it. These people describe its taste in various ways - bitter or salty, and sometimes even on the sweet side. Many people drink soft drinks regularly, and they are fairly used to tasting this preservative and in the whole think nothing of it.
However, there have been health concerns about the combination of sodium benzoate and vitamin C/ascorbic acid. When these are mixed, they can form the chemical benzene, a carcinogenic. But, alone, sodium benzoate is not thought of as a carcinogen. Apparently, large amounts would have to be ingested in order to have toxic levels in ones body.
Some studies have been carried out on mice, where they were fed sodium benzoate, to no ill avail, and the mice’s life expectancies were not shortened, nor was their health affected in any way.
Benzene on the other hand, has been proven by researchers to have the ability to affect mitochondria in cells - mitochondrial degeneration plays an important part in the aging process, and is referred to as one of the seven primary causes of aging - and cause cell death.
Scientists have called for the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to retest the potential dangers of sodium benzoate and citric acid in soft drinks, as tests proving its safety are pretty much outdated. Until then perhaps we should all at least cut down on the amount of soft drinks consumed - especially kids. Personally, I don’t drink soft drinks. I would never, ever allow my daughter to drink these. 2 of my family members have acid burns on their teeth from soft drinks. One has had it on no less than 8 teeth and required fillings (she had alternative white fillings, NOT Amalgam. Related link: Mercury Poisoning Amalgam the Toxic Time Bomb).
What is Benzene?
Benzene is an organic chemical compound, and is also known as benzol. It is a colourless, flammable liquid with a particularly sweet smell. This is a major industrial solvent, used in the production process of oil, synthetic rubber, plastic and many dyes.
Benzene was discovered by the scientist Michael Faraday in 1825. He separated it from oil gas and named it bicarburet of hydrogen. Volcanoes and forest fires produce it naturally. As mentioned before it is a carcinogen, and a major element in cigarette smoke. Until WWII, benzene was made as a by-product from coal production, mainly in the steel industry.
The demand for benzene grew in the 1950‘s, especially within the plastics industry. Because of this manufacturers began making benzene from petroleum. Today, most benzene comes from the petrochemical industry, with only a small amount taken from coal.
The chemical benzene has many uses. In the 19th Century it was used as an aftershave thanks to its sweet smell. Pre-1920s, it was widely used as an industrial solvent, until people became aware of the dangers of its toxicity. It was once widely used as an additive to gasoline, but this eventually halted due to health concerns.
The most common use for benzene is as an additive for other chemicals. It is used to make styrene, which in turn is used to make plastics and polymers. It is also used to help producee nylon.
Benzene is used in small quantities in the manufacturing processes of detergents, pesticides, drugs and explosives.
Being exposed to benzene can lead to serious health issues. High levels of exposure can cause drowsiness, headaches, dizziness, unconsciousness, breathing disorders and nausea. If one would consume food or drink containing benzene, a fast heart rate, being sick and stomach irritation may be the result. Long-term exposure can potentially affect bone marrow and blood production. Very high exposure levels to benzene can ultimately result in death
Research has proven benzene to be a carcinogen (cancer-causing). With exposures from less than 5 years to over 30 years, individuals have developed and died from leukaemia.
A breath or blood test can be done to show whether a person has been exposed to the chemical. However, this must be done shortly after exposure because the chemical disappears quickly from the body. In the USA, the maximum amount of benzene allowed in water is 0.005 milligrams per litre. I say it should be 0 milligrams!