For the past few weeks the issue of Fanta, sprite and vitamin C has spread all over our Nigerian media houses including our social media networks like Facebook, Twitter etc instant messaging platforms like WhatsApp BBM etc are not all left out.
Most of the posts I saw on these social media networks and instant messengers claimed that because of the presence of sodium benzoate in Fanta and sprite, when Fanta or sprite is drank alongside vitamin C will cause instant death Hmmmm very funny, some claimed when Fanta or sprite is drank alongside vitamin C will cause cancer.
Whatever the issue between the Federal Government and Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) that blew up this fanta, sprite and vitamin C issue is not of concern to post.
Our concern is to briefly clarify the actual link between sodium benzoate and vitamin C to human health. So here we go.
1. Processed food manufacturers often use additives to preserve flavour and freshness in products that are meant to be stored for long periods.
2. Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, and sodium benzoate are both preservatives you may find together in soft drinks, processed meats and canned vegetables.
3. Sodium benzoate often used as preservative in acid foods such as jams, soft drinks, salads, relishes and sauerkraut to prevent spoilage due to bacteria, mold and other microorganisms.
4. The U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) considers sodium benzoate or benzoic acid to be safe at levels normally consumed by the general public.
5. Sodium benzoate reacts with vitamin C to form benzene which is carcinogenic (can cause cancer). Hence benzene can form in foods that contain both vitamin C and sodium benzoate when they are exposed to heat or light -- or potentially after prolonged storage.
6. But according to numerous research, the amount of benzene form in most processed foods that contain vitamin C and sodium benzoate is too small to cause any significant damage or harm to body.
7. Information published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says the agency detected benzene levels above 5 parts per billion in 10 soft drink and beverage products in 2005. Soft drink manufacturers reformulated their products and follow up samples found benzene levels below 1.5 ppb, which is below the Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level of 5 ppb for drinking water.
Remember that "Everything edible is made to be consumed, not should be consumed in excess, moderation is the key to good health"
So what I am saying that we should eat everything moderately as it's always said "too much of everything is bad" so whether processed or natural food try to eat moderately especially processed foods.
Take this quotation from me " Every processed food is harmful to our body at least in two or more ways " - Emmanuel Okoli
That's just the pure truth OK for example most people are out there shouting Fanta and sprite but the don't know that La Casera also contains sodium benzoate you can check the label if you want. In fact many of the soft drinks we consume in this country contain sodium benzoate.
There are many other preservatives in processed foods that are very harmful to our body. So this current madness about sprite and Fanta is just too much. The stuff is let's not just focus on Fanta and sprite alone but on all processed foods.
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