2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Preservatives are used to preserve a product with natural ingredients that comes into contact with air and moisture. The popular food preservative sodium benzoate (E211) is effective against yeast and mold. In addition, this compound is well soluble in water and alcohol and is easily excreted by the kidneys.
Benzoic acid and its salts - benzoates, are found in fruits - cranberries, black and blueberries, apples, etc., although the industry uses their synthetic analogue.
Decades ago, the US Food and Drug Administration found elevated levels of the dangerous carcinogen benzene (C6H6) in soft drinks that contain both ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and benzoates.
Why is meringue dangerous?
Severe benzene poisoning leads to disorders of the central nervous system, seizures, vomiting, insomnia, etc. Mild poisoning is manifested by damage to blood organs, changes in the amount and composition of white blood cells, bleeding on the skin and mucous membranes, etc. Prolonged Influence of benzene can cause various forms of cancer.
According to British scientist Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology at the University of Sheffield, benzene damages human mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondria are directly involved in aging and cellular metabolism. Its damage can lead to very serious consequences: to provoke Parkinson's disease and a number of neurodegenerative diseases.
There is evidence that benzene is the cause of various types of leukemia, aplastic anemia. The question is far from completely clear. Scientists believe that there is no safe concentration of benzene for people. There is also no information on the effects of repeated ingestion of sodium benzoate in the body.
Scientists suggest that benzene in soft drinks was formed in the interaction of sodium benzoate with vitamin C., although under normal conditions this is almost impossible. Studies have been conducted to establish the mechanism of such a transformation.
What does organic chemistry say?
Photo: Diana Kostova
Theoretically, at high temperature and high pressure, sodium benzoate in an acidic environment can be partially converted to benzene. The second mechanism of conversion of benzoates to benzene is long-term heating with bases. In this case, the complete conversion of benzoate to benzene is impossible in food production. Therefore, from a chemical point of view, the simultaneous presence of preservative sodium benzoate and vitamin C. it shouldn't bother us. By the way, benzoates and vitamin C are present together in the fruits mentioned above, but we eat them calmly and are not afraid of benzene poisoning.
What does biochemistry say?
American studies of soft drinks show the presence of 10 particles of benzene per billion, which is twice the norms of this pollutant for drinking water. But there is no direct evidence that benzene is formed in juices and sugary drinks precisely because the interaction of benzoates and ascorbic acid. Scientific documents describe the possibility of converting benzoates to benzene in the presence of ascorbic acid, but this will require enzymes or ions of iron or copper, as well as heating or sunlight.
However, dietary regulators in the United States and Europe recommend that manufacturers reduce their E211 content in foods and avoid drinking beverages containing both E211 (sodium benzoate) and E300 (ascorbic acid) in the heat.
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