Sodium benzoate is an artificial additive added to prevent microbial growth in foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. No proven health problems have been associated with the levels of sodium benzoate allowed in foods. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, generally regards sodium benzoate as safe; however, some concerns have been raised about the potential contribution of sodium benzoate plus artificial food coloring to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD. At the time of publication, research results were inconsistent.
Use
Sodium benzoate is a salt of benzoic acid that dissolves easily in food. When in an acidic environment, benzoic acid prevents the growth of bacteria and some fungi. Though benzoic acid is found in trace amounts in some fruits and spices, sodium benzoate is not found in nature and is artificially created when neutralizing benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide or bicarbonate. The FDA limits the amount of sodium benzoate in foods to less than 0.1%.
Safety
There are no known health effects of sodium benzoate at the levels allowable in food, according to the FDA, which tightly regulates the quality of food manufactured in the U.S. or imported. Large amounts of sodium benzoate are irritating and caustic in large amounts, such as the amounts used in manufacturing plants. Preliminary research has suggested that sodium benzoate may be a factor contributing to childhood hyperactivity disorders.
Hyperactivity Concerns
Children who have ADHD have difficulty focusing, completing a task and remaining calm. ADHD is the most commonly-diagnosed childhood behavioral disorder, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Research studies have shown that children who eat a large amount of artificial foods containing artificial coloring and sodium benzoate have a higher incidence of ADHD and other behavioral disorders. However, this does not mean that sodium benzoate or artificial coloring causes hyperactivity. As a parent, restricting your child's consumption of artificial foods may reduce hyperactivity but will not abolish it completely.
Processed Foods
Artificial and processed foods are normally high in calories, low in nutrients and contain many artificial food additives. The FDA regularly reviews the safety of food additives; however, processed foods are becoming increasingly prevalent in the modern diet. When possible, it is always healthy to replace processed foods with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy and lean meat.
References
- EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database: Sodium Benzoate
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Direct Food Substances Affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe: Sodium Benzoate
- U.K. Food Standards Agency: Agency Revises Advice on Certain Artificial Colours; September 11, 2007
- PubMed Health: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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