| ign="center"> | | | | Roots Market, a local chain of stores in the |
| While sodium benzoate is considered technically | | | | Baltimore area, made the courageous |
| indispensable in pre-made liquid vitamins (it is used | | | | commitment to pull all the products off their |
| as a preservative), powdered supplements that | | | | shelves containing chemical preservatives. Says |
| need no preservatives can be mixed with juice | | | | Roots Market buyer Katie Shamp, "We created a |
| and provide a viable alternative. Doug Ingoldsby, | | | | short-list of "banned" ingredients - some of the |
| President of All One / Nutritech ( whose father, | | | | ingredients on that list were artificial preservatives |
| James Ingoldsby, pioneered the nutritional | | | | sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate," says |
| supplement industry starting in the 1930's, feels | | | | Shamp. "There was a moment of pause when |
| that powdered nutrition supplements that dissolve | | | | we realized that one of our top-sellers also |
| in liquid provide a healthy alternative. "I am in full | | | | contained these artificial preservatives but we |
| agreement that liquids absorb more thoroughly | | | | kept working at it and found replacements. |
| than pills or tablets. However, pre-made liquids are | | | | Powders or effervescents that can be made into |
| very unstable and must contain preservatives," | | | | a drink replaced many of these liquids." |
| says Ingoldsby. | | | | So should we be concerned about potentially toxic |
| People buy liquid supplements to improve their | | | | levels of benzene contained in liquid vitamins |
| health and because they absorb better than | | | | (primarily consumed by babies, children, nursing |
| vitamin pills. But ironically, they could unwittingly be | | | | mothers and the elderly)? The US National |
| doing irreversible damage to their bodies. Studies | | | | Institute of Health's Office of Dietary |
| show that the chemical makeup of any liquid | | | | Supplements seems to think so, and has |
| vitamin supplement containing sodium benzoate or | | | | contracted a laboratory to test the potential |
| potassium benzoate is the perfect environment | | | | dangers of liquid supplements preserved with |
| for the formation of benzene when combined | | | | sodium benzoate. And in a 2006 study, the |
| with ascorbic acid, or vitamin C. Benzene has been | | | | Korean Food and Drug Administration found that |
| linked to leukemia and other cancers of the blood | | | | 27 out of 30 liquid supplements contained |
| and can cross the placenta, affecting the fetus. It | | | | significant levels of benzene, with some harboring |
| has also been linked to hyperactivity in children. | | | | more than 17 times the maximum allowable limit. |
| Major companies and some retailers are taking | | | | Ingoldsby muses: "It's almost funny that the Coca |
| notice. With growing pressure from British | | | | Cola company is taking the lead in the elimination |
| consumers about the presence of sodium | | | | of a so-called 'technically indispensable' ingredient |
| benzoate in their diet soda, even Coca Cola - a | | | | even before many health food supplement |
| company not renowned for being particularly | | | | companies." It may not be too long before |
| health-conscious - began eliminating the ingredient | | | | Americans make the switch to powdered nutrient |
| from some of its product lines in Britain as of May | | | | supplements as their health-conscious European |
| 2008, though there are currently no plans to do | | | | counterparts have been doing for some time. |
| the same in the United States. | | | | |