Potential Safety Issues Surrounding the Use of Benzoate Preservatives

Sodium benzoate (E211) and potassium sorbate (E202) have long been used for large-scale beverage preservation, yet it is potassium sorbate that is now the preferred option for most soft drink manufacturers. Partly this is a reaction to the discovery that benzoate can cause drinks to contain traces o...

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Main Author: Peter W. Piper
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-04-01
Series:Beverages
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/4/2/33
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author Peter W. Piper
author_facet Peter W. Piper
author_sort Peter W. Piper
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description Sodium benzoate (E211) and potassium sorbate (E202) have long been used for large-scale beverage preservation, yet it is potassium sorbate that is now the preferred option for most soft drink manufacturers. Partly this is a reaction to the discovery that benzoate can cause drinks to contain traces of the carcinogen benzene. This benzene is thought to have its origins in a free-radical catalysed reaction of the benzoate with ascorbic acid. However, there may be additional benefits to using potassium sorbate rather than the benzoate preservatives in beverages. In children, a high dietary intake of sodium benzoate may be associated with asthma, allergy, or attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder. Benzoate is now known to influence cognitive functioning. By acting as a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), thereby reducing the DAAO-catalysed degradation of D-serine, it can upregulate the activity of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors in the brain. A high benzoate intake might also generate glycine deficiency, lack of glycine generally exerting a negative impact on brain neurochemistry. There are therefore strong grounds for suspecting that dietary benzoate can have neuromodulatory (mood, learning, and personality) effects and influence child hyperactivity disorders.
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spelling doaj.art-c16d592da5b14432a6509b7fc240cb022022-12-21T19:31:21ZengMDPI AGBeverages2306-57102018-04-01423310.3390/beverages4020033beverages4020033Potential Safety Issues Surrounding the Use of Benzoate PreservativesPeter W. Piper0Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UKSodium benzoate (E211) and potassium sorbate (E202) have long been used for large-scale beverage preservation, yet it is potassium sorbate that is now the preferred option for most soft drink manufacturers. Partly this is a reaction to the discovery that benzoate can cause drinks to contain traces of the carcinogen benzene. This benzene is thought to have its origins in a free-radical catalysed reaction of the benzoate with ascorbic acid. However, there may be additional benefits to using potassium sorbate rather than the benzoate preservatives in beverages. In children, a high dietary intake of sodium benzoate may be associated with asthma, allergy, or attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder. Benzoate is now known to influence cognitive functioning. By acting as a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), thereby reducing the DAAO-catalysed degradation of D-serine, it can upregulate the activity of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors in the brain. A high benzoate intake might also generate glycine deficiency, lack of glycine generally exerting a negative impact on brain neurochemistry. There are therefore strong grounds for suspecting that dietary benzoate can have neuromodulatory (mood, learning, and personality) effects and influence child hyperactivity disorders.http://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/4/2/33preservativessodium benzoatepotassium sorbatehippuric acidbenzeneurea cycle disorder therapycognitive functioninghypoglycinemia
spellingShingle Peter W. Piper
Potential Safety Issues Surrounding the Use of Benzoate Preservatives
Beverages
preservatives
sodium benzoate
potassium sorbate
hippuric acid
benzene
urea cycle disorder therapy
cognitive functioning
hypoglycinemia
title Potential Safety Issues Surrounding the Use of Benzoate Preservatives
title_full Potential Safety Issues Surrounding the Use of Benzoate Preservatives
title_fullStr Potential Safety Issues Surrounding the Use of Benzoate Preservatives
title_full_unstemmed Potential Safety Issues Surrounding the Use of Benzoate Preservatives
title_short Potential Safety Issues Surrounding the Use of Benzoate Preservatives
title_sort potential safety issues surrounding the use of benzoate preservatives
topic preservatives
sodium benzoate
potassium sorbate
hippuric acid
benzene
urea cycle disorder therapy
cognitive functioning
hypoglycinemia
url http://www.mdpi.com/2306-5710/4/2/33
work_keys_str_mv AT peterwpiper potentialsafetyissuessurroundingtheuseofbenzoatepreservatives