The Dangers of Benzene

When people go grocery shopping, they get in the store, get what they need, and get out without taking the time to read the labels on the products they are purchasing. It is important to know what is being put in our food and beverages. There are some ingredients that are put into our food and beverages that are not healthy for us. After consuming these ingredients for a long period of time, this can eventually be harmful to ones body. A lot of these ingredients can be researched, showing you exactly what they are, and if they are healthy for the body or not.

Many of the soft drinks people drink daily have two ingredients that can form benzene. Benzene is a carcinogen, and is linked to cancers of the blood and leukemia. It is also linked to nervous and immune system disorders. It can also cause anemia and chromosome exposure.

Benzene is poisoning and when children are expose to it for a long period of time, it can be harmful and even dangerous for the child. In April of 2006 the Food and Drug Administration found cancer-causing benzene in soft drinks at levels above the limit to be considered safe. Benzene can form in soft drinks when the drinks contain vitamin C and chemicals called benzoate salts. Researchers say any benzene in soft drinks that are formulated, packaged, or distributed should be avoided.

There is no set limit on the levels of benzene that is allowed in soft drinks. Most products had low levels of benzene, as others were as high as 88 parts per billion in 2006. Some foods and soft drinks have small amounts of benzene in them and are considered low enough to not be harmful. What effects can this have on ones health, even in small amounts of Benzene, if people consume these products on a daily basis?

Benzene is also found in some foods like Popsicles, cheese, eggs, ground beef, butter, and other types of foods. The standard water is 5 parts per billion and these foods where found to have higher levels of benzene. If benzene can be harmful when put in some of our foods and beverages in high amounts, then what is the purpose of adding this ingredient to them?

Studies have been done on animals and there is evidence for the carcinogenicity of benzene in experimental animals. Although there are many other ways of getting benzene exposure, short-term affects from being exposed to benzene may cause headaches, confusion, drowsiness, tremors, dizziness, or unconsciousness. Consuming high levels of benzene from foods or beverages can cause irritation of the stomach, rapid heart rate, vomiting, convulsions, and sleepiness. In some cases death may occur due to extremely high levels of benzene being ingested orally or inhalation. Long term affects from benzene after being exposed to high levels of this ingredient for one year were: low white blood cell counts, which make it harder for the body to fight off any infections, it interferes with normal blood cell production by hematopoietic. Hematopoietic keeps blood forming cells from forming in the bone marrow. This in return can cause anemia, therefore decreasing the blood from transporting oxygen.

When the FDA first learned in 1990 that some soft drinks marketed to children had two ingredients that can be mixed in soda and form toxic carcinogen benzene, the public was not informed. The FDA instead asked companies to voluntarily change the formulas. Would we ever be informed if high levels of this chemical were found again in food or beverages? Or will they again just ask the companies "nicely" to change the formulas? I suggest people read labels more and do research on some of these other ingredients to see just what they are and how they can affect your health.