Survey results of benzene in soft drinks and other beverages by headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.
Benzene, a carcinogen that can cause cancer in humans, may form at nanogram per gram levels in some beverages containing both benzoate salts and ascorbic or erythorbic acids. Through a series of reactions, a hydroxyl radical forms that can decarboxylate benzoate to form benzene. Elevated temperatures and light stimulate these reactions, while sugar and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) can inhibit them. A headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the determination of benzene in beverages was developed and validated. The method was used to conduct a survey of 199 soft drinks and other beverages. The vast majority of beverages sampled contained either no detectable benzene or levels below the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's drinking water limit of 5 ng/g. Beverages found to contain 5 ng/g benzene or more were reformulated by the manufacturers. The amount of benzene found in the reformulated beverages ranged from none detected to 1.1 ng/g.
Nyman
Patricia J
PJ
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, HFS-706, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, College Park, MD 20740, USA. Patricia.Nyman@fda.hhs.gov
Diachenko
Gregory W
GW
Perfetti
Gracia A
GA
McNeal
Timothy P
TP
Hiatt
Michael H
MH
Morehouse
Kim M
KM
D001554:Benzene / Q000032:analysis*; D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis*; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000032:analysis*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000032:analysis; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D002273:Carcinogens; D001554:Benzene