You see it a lot, listed on the ingredient lists and probably don't give it much thought. Just another one of those many preservatives that are in foods these days. Surely safe because well...the government doesn't let anything unsafe get into our foods now do they?
But, what is it really? Why is it in there? What purpose does it serve and is it really safe? REALLY?
According to Wikipedia: Sodium benzoate is a preservative. It is bacteriostatic and fungistatic under acidic conditions. It is most widely used in acidic foods such as salad dressings (vinegar), carbonated drinks (carbonic acid), jams and fruit juices (citric acid), pickles (vinegar), and condiments. It is also used as a preservative in medicines and cosmetics.[1][2] As a food additive, sodium benzoate has the E number E211.
So, we were right. It's one of those many preservatives used. It's a cheap and available mold inhibitor. Okay. So, what about it? Well, it turns out when added with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) it forms a known carcinogen, as it forms benzene. And, you can find the combination of the two of them in MANY foods. Let's look at one of the biggest offenders: Soda. Most brands use both, the sodium benzoate as a preservative and the ascorbic acid as a flavoring agent. Wow, so despite all the sugar and/or artifial sweetners in sodas, there's something else to worry about? Yep, it would seem so. But you're also exposed to Benzene in other forms (every time you pump your gas?) So, you shouldn't be worried right? Well..the effects of most carcinogens are accumulative so, consider the risk vs. benefit of that fizzy fix.
There's also been some debate on the safety of sodium benzoate on it's own. It's thought to be a cause of hyperactivity, especially when paired with food colorings.
It's also found to mess with your mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial DNA is vital to moving oxygen and supplying energy to each cell. Not something you want to be without.
Sodium Benzoate has also been linked strongly to Parkinsons disease, neuro degenerative diseases and premature aging.
And it's not just found in soda. Here are just a few of the items it's added to: pickles, peppers, salad dressings, jams, most condiments, vinegar, fruit juices, salsa, dips, shredded cheese, ketchup, mouthwash, toothpaste, cough syrup, cream, lotion, and hundreds of cosmetic products.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033726_sodium_benzoate_cancer.html#ixzz21ae7AdeZ
Consider also Potassium Benzoate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_benzoate
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