The latest myth to be busted: 'Sodium benzoate is harmful to your health'

Rumour: I've heard that a commonly used food preservative found in food and drinks called sodium benzoate is harmful to your health. Is this true?

Reality: No.

Unless we grow our food in our own garden and prepare all our meals from scratch, it's difficult to consume foods or drinks without preservatives added by manufacturers during processing. Manufacturers add preservatives primarily to prevent spoilage during the time it takes to transport foods to stores and then to our kitchens.

Sodium benzoate is a preservative which occurs naturally in some foods such as berries and mushrooms, and has been safely added to foods for more than 100 years. Items such as bakery products, wines, fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood contain sodium benzoate to protect against spoilage and preserve taste.

The use of food additives is strictly regulated under Australian law and must be approved as safe by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) before they can be used. The safety evaluations made by FSANZ and others including the European Commission (EC), the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA), and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) are based upon published, peer reviewed scientific studies.

The Coca-Cola Company uses sodium benzoate in some products and when used it is clearly marked on the label. For further information on sodium benzoate visit the FSANZ website http://www.foodstandards.gov.au or call them on 02 6271 2222.