Gil Stoewsand, Faculty, Food Science & Technology, Cornell University

Sodium benzoate is a very widespread food preservative used much under 0.1%
in many foods from soup to cereals. The considerable time between the
production and the consumption of food today makes some use of
preservatives necessary in order to prevent spoilage and undersirable
alterations in color, flavor, or nutrients. Degradation pathways for
benzoic acid (produced in the body from the sodium salt) have been studied
in detail and have shown the harmlessness of this substance: 75-80% is
excreted within 6 hours, and the total dose leaves the body within about 10
hours. It does not cause cancer. The limit of sodium benzoate in foods is
not because of its toxicity, but at levels higher than 0.1% will leave an
unacceptable aftertaste. Foods containing this preservative are much
healthier than non-preservative foods since harmfull microorganism growth
is inhibited, food oxidation is prevented, and food nutrients are preserved.

Chronic toxicities were examined in rats fed diets containing up to
a total of 1%. After 4 generations there were no changes in normal
patterns of growth, reproduction, lactation and no morphological
abnomalities of organs. Acute toxicity studies, where one large dose of
sodium benzoate is given to animals, showed no lethal effects until 2
grams per kg. body wt. was administered. One could not eat enough foods
containing sodium benzoate to even get 0.002% of this amount!
Limits of sodium benzoate in foods is not because of toxicity, but
it will impart a taste that will make some foods unacceptable. This is a
very non-toxic compound and foods containing presevatives are usually much
healthier since harmful microorganism growth is inhibited, oxidation is
checked, and nutrients, natural or added, are saved.

Come here if you have more questions.

First off, this site is a private site, so I wouldn't expect any comments from the Doc himself. Read the disclaimer at the footer.

Secondly, if you want to hear from the doc himself, I highly recommend you come to the Kyani Convention in July and ask the experts himself.

Third: Sodium Benzoate is a type of salt that may occur naturally in some foods but is more likely to be chemically produced and added as a preservative to foods.
Sodium benzoate naturally occurs in several fruits like apples, plums and cranberries. A few sweet spices contain small amounts of sodium benzoate, including cloves and cinnamon. The presence of sodium benzoate in these foods does not necessarily act to preserve them.

Sodium benzoate on its own is not considered a carcinogen, and you would have to consume a huge amount of it in order to have toxic levels in your body. In mice studies where the animals were fed sodium benzoate, no adverse effects were reported, and the mice’s life expectancies were not shortened, nor was their health affected in any way.

I am a distributor with Kyani and I am being asked by a customer and recent sign up about the the ingredient "Sodium Benzonate" listed in the product Nitro FX. The customer is concerned that this is added to the product as a preservative. Is this true? and if so why? Can you please give a thorough explanation why there is Soudium Benzonate NitroFX? Please let me know as this is a matter of loosing customers due to this.

Thank you so much

Antonio Michel

512 300 4217