Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
[China Times Electronic News]
Lin Jieliang recently, the UK Food Safety Authority (FSA), following the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), tested 230 beverages on the UK market and found that some vitamin C-containing drinks contained the carcinogen benzene, with concentrations exceeding the UK national drinking water benzene standard of 1ppb, and even higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water benzene concentration standard of 10 ppb.
★Benzoates as Preservatives
Therefore, the FSA decided that any beverage with a benzene concentration exceeding 10 ppb would be immediately removed from the market. This discovery quickly caused panic among global consumers, and the National Health Department immediately sampled 10 beverages on the Taiwanese market, with the highest benzene content being 9.4 ppb. Although the content did not exceed the WHO drinking water standard, it already surpassed the national and US national drinking water benzene standards, which is 5 ppb.
In fact, as early as 1992, the FDA discovered that beverages with added vitamin C or natural vitamin C-containing juices, if combined with benzoate preservatives, could potentially produce the carcinogen benzene. The FDA not only published the results in medical journals but also privately invited major beverage manufacturers to discuss and form a consensus: beverages containing vitamin C should avoid using benzoate preservatives, and beverages containing benzoates should avoid adding vitamin C.
For over a decade, the issue of benzene in beverages did not recur. However, in recent years, due to fierce market competition and the establishment of new beverage companies unaware of this consensus, the agreement has gradually been broken and rendered ineffective.
★Supplementing Vitamin C May Lead to Poisoning
Benzene is a known human carcinogen. Inhaling or absorbing a certain amount through the skin can cause poisoning, and in severe cases, damage the human hematopoietic system and nervous system. Long-term inhalation of benzene can lead to aplastic anemia, completely destroying hematopoietic function and causing leukemia. Children are more likely than adults to develop cancer from this.
Since benzene belongs to the aromatic hydrocarbon class, its toxicity is not easily noticed at first. Chronic benzene poisoning can irritate the skin, eyes, and upper respiratory tract. Long-term inhalation of benzene by women of childbearing age can lead to menstrual disorders, and pregnant women exposed to benzene have a significantly higher incidence of pregnancy complications, even leading to fetal congenital defects. Some scholars even believe that there is no so-called safe dose for benzene exposure. In daily life, common sources of benzene exposure include motor vehicle exhaust, gas stations, newly decorated houses, and cars.
★Beverage Storage Also Matters
The concentration of benzene produced in vitamin C beverages using benzoate preservatives is related to the content of these two components in the beverage; less content results in less benzene production. Additionally, storing beverages at room temperature is crucial, as high temperatures or direct sunlight can easily produce high concentrations of benzene.
The longer a beverage has been on the market, the more benzene it may produce, as sugar inhibits the production of benzene from vitamin C and benzoates. Vitamin C beverages containing sugar produce less benzene. To completely avoid benzene production, it is essential to avoid mixing vitamin C and benzoates in beverages.
★Plain Water is the Best Beverage
To prevent benzene poisoning from vitamin C beverages, beverage manufacturers have the obligation and responsibility to minimize benzene content in beverages, keeping benzene concentrations below national drinking water standards, or even ensuring beverages are benzene-free. Health authorities should continuously and comprehensively test the benzene concentration in beverages containing vitamin C and using benzoates. If it exceeds the WHO drinking water standard limit of 10ppb, it should be immediately removed from shelves; if it exceeds the national drinking water standard limit of 5ppb, immediate improvement should be required.Additionally, when choosing beverages, consumers can avoid drinks containing vitamin C with added benzoate preservatives or natural vitamin C juices. If consuming such beverages, it is advisable to select those that are freshly produced or contain sugar. However, any sugary drink can lead to obesity, and children's beverages should ideally be plain water or packaged drinking water. Eating whole fruits is always healthier than consuming vitamin C drinks or natural vitamin C juices. (Author: Lin Jieliang, Director of the Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Hospital)
Source: http://tw. news. yahoo. com/ 060607/ 19/ 37rpk. html
Beware of Carcinogens in Vitamin C Drinks
Lin Jieliang recently, the UK Food Safety Authority (FSA), following the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), tested 230 beverages on the UK market and found that some vitamin C-containing drinks contained the carcinogen benzene, with concentrations exceeding the UK national drinking water benzene standard of 1ppb, and even higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water benzene concentration standard of 10 ppb.
★Benzoates as Preservatives
Therefore, the FSA decided that any beverage with a benzene concentration exceeding 10 ppb would be immediately removed from the market. This discovery quickly caused panic among global consumers, and the National Health Department immediately sampled 10 beverages on the Taiwanese market, with the highest benzene content being 9.4 ppb. Although the content did not exceed the WHO drinking water standard, it already surpassed the national and US national drinking water benzene standards, which is 5 ppb.
In fact, as early as 1992, the FDA discovered that beverages with added vitamin C or natural vitamin C-containing juices, if combined with benzoate preservatives, could potentially produce the carcinogen benzene. The FDA not only published the results in medical journals but also privately invited major beverage manufacturers to discuss and form a consensus: beverages containing vitamin C should avoid using benzoate preservatives, and beverages containing benzoates should avoid adding vitamin C.
For over a decade, the issue of benzene in beverages did not recur. However, in recent years, due to fierce market competition and the establishment of new beverage companies unaware of this consensus, the agreement has gradually been broken and rendered ineffective.
★Supplementing Vitamin C May Lead to Poisoning
Benzene is a known human carcinogen. Inhaling or absorbing a certain amount through the skin can cause poisoning, and in severe cases, damage the human hematopoietic system and nervous system. Long-term inhalation of benzene can lead to aplastic anemia, completely destroying hematopoietic function and causing leukemia. Children are more likely than adults to develop cancer from this.
Since benzene belongs to the aromatic hydrocarbon class, its toxicity is not easily noticed at first. Chronic benzene poisoning can irritate the skin, eyes, and upper respiratory tract. Long-term inhalation of benzene by women of childbearing age can lead to menstrual disorders, and pregnant women exposed to benzene have a significantly higher incidence of pregnancy complications, even leading to fetal congenital defects. Some scholars even believe that there is no so-called safe dose for benzene exposure. In daily life, common sources of benzene exposure include motor vehicle exhaust, gas stations, newly decorated houses, and cars.
★Beverage Storage Also Matters
The concentration of benzene produced in vitamin C beverages using benzoate preservatives is related to the content of these two components in the beverage; less content results in less benzene production. Additionally, storing beverages at room temperature is crucial, as high temperatures or direct sunlight can easily produce high concentrations of benzene.
The longer a beverage has been on the market, the more benzene it may produce, as sugar inhibits the production of benzene from vitamin C and benzoates. Vitamin C beverages containing sugar produce less benzene. To completely avoid benzene production, it is essential to avoid mixing vitamin C and benzoates in beverages.
★Plain Water is the Best Beverage
To prevent benzene poisoning from vitamin C beverages, beverage manufacturers have the obligation and responsibility to minimize benzene content in beverages, keeping benzene concentrations below national drinking water standards, or even ensuring beverages are benzene-free. Health authorities should continuously and comprehensively test the benzene concentration in beverages containing vitamin C and using benzoates. If it exceeds the WHO drinking water standard limit of 10ppb, it should be immediately removed from shelves; if it exceeds the national drinking water standard limit of 5ppb, immediate improvement should be required.Additionally, when choosing beverages, consumers can avoid drinks containing vitamin C with added benzoate preservatives or natural vitamin C juices. If consuming such beverages, it is advisable to select those that are freshly produced or contain sugar. However, any sugary drink can lead to obesity, and children's beverages should ideally be plain water or packaged drinking water. Eating whole fruits is always healthier than consuming vitamin C drinks or natural vitamin C juices. (Author: Lin Jieliang, Director of the Toxicology Department at Linkou Chang Gung Hospital)
Source: http://tw. news. yahoo. com/ 060607/ 19/ 37rpk. html