Sodium benzoate in non-alcoholic carbonated (soft) drinks: Exposure and health risks

Abstract

There is a serious concern about the use of sodium benzoate in non-alcoholic carbonated (soft) drinks because of its mechanistic ability to convert to benzene, a classified carcinogen. It is this concern that drove this study to determine consumer exposures to sodium benzoate and possible health risks from intake of such soft drinks. A survey was conducted during which Google Forms were used to collect drink consumption data from 113 consumers including males and females. During this same period, 38 varieties of non-alcoholic carbonated (soft) drinks were collected from two major markets in Ghana. These drink samples were subsequently subjected to extraction protocols and the levels of sodium benzoate quantified using HPLC. Information from the Google Forms together with the quantification of sodium benzoate formed the basis of the determination of exposure of sodium benzoate according to the USEPA protocols. Using the Palisade @Risk software, elements of exposure of sodium benzoate (mg/mL ingested, volume-mL of non-alcoholic carbonated (soft) drink consumed, and body weight-kg of consumers) were integrated and iterated (at 105) to estimate the simulated chronic exposures. Simulated risks (hazard quotient, HQ, margin of exposure, MoE, and cancer risk, LTCR) were determined using thresholds obtained from regulatory bodies. High levels of sodium benzoate, above the acceptable limit of 150 mg/L based on USEPA recommendations, were detected in 6 (16%) of the 38 non-alcoholic carbonated (soft) drinks sampled. The results of the study showed that the concentrations of sodium benzoate ranged from a minimum of 51.0 mg/L to a maximum of 277.0 mg/L. It was clear that the consumption patterns of males created relatively high exposures leading to unsurprisingly higher risks compared to female consumers. The high-risk indices determined in this study, relative to regulatory thresholds (HQ>1, MoE<104 and LTCR >10−6) are all serious indicators of grave public health concerns. These observations emphasize potential benzenes in our food chains and a call for a more forceful monitoring of product quality and safety to ensure adherence to standards.