FDA Documents Instigate a New Look at Benzene in Soft Drinks

FDA recently released two documents, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, from 1990 and 1991 that discuss the existence of trace levels of benzene in canned and bottled soft drinks. The release of these documents has prompted U.S. food-safety authorities to reopen an investigation into contamination of soft-drink products with benzene, a toxic chemical associated with an increased risk of leukemia.

The documents note that, according to the National Soft Drink Association (now the American Beverage Association, Washington, D.C.), interaction between ingredients like sodium benzoate, ascorbic acid and FD&C Yellow #5 (tartrazine) under certain light and heat conditions might produce benzene. Photolytic degradation of sodium benzoate might also create benzene.

One of the FDA documents, dated Jan. 18, 1991, noted that the problem tends to occur most often in diet soft drinks as sugar tends to inhibit the reaction. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) also appears to inhibit benzene formation. Industry officials have noted that reformulation of beverages susceptible to the reactions can alleviate known risks of benzene formation. However, recent laboratory testing showed existence of benzene in some soft drinks at 2.5 to 5 times the legal limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) set by the World Heath Organization (WHO). EPA limits concentrations of benzene in drinking water to 5 ppb, while European regulations set the limit at 1 ppb.