What Is Sodium Benzoate in Food?

Quick Answer: Sodium benzoate is a preservative that can combine with vitamin C (ascorbic acid) to form benzene — a known carcinogen. This reaction occurs in acidic beverages. The FDA found benzene levels above the safe drinking water limit in some soft drinks.

Sodium benzoate is a widely used preservative in soft drinks, fruit juices, salad dressings, condiments, and pickled foods. It prevents the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold. The primary safety concern is its reaction with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to form benzene, a known human carcinogen. In 2006, the FDA tested nearly 200 soft drinks and found benzene levels exceeding the 5 ppb drinking water standard in several products. The affected drinks were reformulated. However, the conditions that promote benzene formation — heat, light, and acidity — are common in beverage storage. Beyond benzene formation, some of the Southampton Six hyperactivity studies found that sodium benzoate combined with artificial colors increased hyperactivity in children. Sodium benzoate also occurs naturally in cranberries, prunes, and cinnamon.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What drinks have sodium benzoate?

Many soft drinks, flavored waters, fruit juices, energy drinks, salad dressings, and condiments contain sodium benzoate as a preservative.

Can sodium benzoate cause cancer?

Sodium benzoate itself is not carcinogenic, but when combined with vitamin C in acidic conditions, it can form benzene, which is a known carcinogen.

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APACheckIt AI. (2026). "What Is Sodium Benzoate in Food? — CheckIt AI". Climaverse PBC. Retrieved from https://getcheck.it/answers/what-is-sodium-benzoate
MLA"What Is Sodium Benzoate in Food? — CheckIt AI." CheckIt AI, Climaverse PBC, 2026-03-05. https://getcheck.it/answers/what-is-sodium-benzoate.
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BibTeX@misc{checkit2026answerswhatissodiumbenzoate, title = {What Is Sodium Benzoate in Food? — CheckIt AI}, author = {CheckIt AI}, year = {2026}, publisher = {Climaverse PBC}, url = {https://getcheck.it/answers/what-is-sodium-benzoate}, note = {Retrieved 2026-03-05} }