Nbadan
05-29-2007, 12:40 PM
Research shows that E211 - found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max - can switch off vital parts of DNA, causing serious damage to cells.
Laboratory tests suggest this could even result in degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and cirrhosis of the liver.
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The research into E211 - or sodium benzoate - was carried out by Peter Piper, a molecular biology expert at Sheffield University.
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"These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it, they knock it out altogether," he told a Sunday newspaper.
Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=458011&in_page_id=1774&ICO=HEALTH&ICL=TOPART)
Here is some more info on this:
The presence of benzene at levels above what would be allowed in a community drinking water supply is unacceptable from both the public health and the political perspective, as Coca Cola realizes. The amounts of benzene varies and is apparently related to the storage conditions and formulation of a particular bottle, but the levels are often two to three or more times the drinking water standard. Benzene is a known human carcinogen, and while the levels are in the part per billion range, there are good public health reasons that the EPA's recommended level in drinking water is zero (see our posts on this topic here, here and here).
Three of the remaining defendants make drinks marketed directly to children -- Sunny Delight, Shasta and Rockstar Energy Drinks. We love to wring our hands about imported pet food adulterated with melamine from China, but food safety is also a problem for American and European companies.
Science Blogs (http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2007/05/benzene_in_soda_progress_but_s.php)
Laboratory tests suggest this could even result in degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and cirrhosis of the liver.
..........................................
The research into E211 - or sodium benzoate - was carried out by Peter Piper, a molecular biology expert at Sheffield University.
..............................
"These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it, they knock it out altogether," he told a Sunday newspaper.
Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=458011&in_page_id=1774&ICO=HEALTH&ICL=TOPART)
Here is some more info on this:
The presence of benzene at levels above what would be allowed in a community drinking water supply is unacceptable from both the public health and the political perspective, as Coca Cola realizes. The amounts of benzene varies and is apparently related to the storage conditions and formulation of a particular bottle, but the levels are often two to three or more times the drinking water standard. Benzene is a known human carcinogen, and while the levels are in the part per billion range, there are good public health reasons that the EPA's recommended level in drinking water is zero (see our posts on this topic here, here and here).
Three of the remaining defendants make drinks marketed directly to children -- Sunny Delight, Shasta and Rockstar Energy Drinks. We love to wring our hands about imported pet food adulterated with melamine from China, but food safety is also a problem for American and European companies.
Science Blogs (http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2007/05/benzene_in_soda_progress_but_s.php)