Volume 74, Issue 2, September 2024, Pages 212–218
O. Ajayi Yewande1, F. Aluko Esther2, B. Mary Ajadi3, and A. Olugbenga Olowe4
1 National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria
2 Department of Global Public Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Australia
3 Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria
4 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Nigeria
Original language: English
Copyright © 2024 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Food preservatives such as sodium benzoate (E211) and potassium benzoate (E212) are widely used to prolong the shelf life of various food products by inhibiting microbial growth. Despite their prevalent usage, concerns regarding their potential genotoxic effects necessitate a thorough evaluation of their safety. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the genotoxic potential of sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate, synthesizing findings from in vitro, in vivo, and human studies. Sodium benzoate, a sodium salt of benzoic acid, is primarily metabolized in the liver to hippuric acid, which is excreted in the urine. In vitro studies on sodium benzoate have shown mixed results, with some indicating DNA damage at high concentrations while others report no significant genotoxic effects. In vivo studies in animals have similarly provided conflicting evidence, with genotoxic effects observed at high doses but not at levels relevant to human consumption. Human studies are limited, but in vitro assessments using human cell lines have not conclusively demonstrated genotoxic effects at typical dietary exposure levels. Potassium benzoate, the potassium salt of benzoic acid, shares a similar metabolic pathway with sodium benzoate. However, specific studies on the genotoxicity of potassium benzoate are less abundant. Preliminary in vitro studies have not indicated significant genotoxic effects at commonly used concentrations and limited in vivo animal studies suggest no significant genotoxic risk at doses relevant to human exposure. The absence of direct human studies on potassium benzoate necessitates reliance on extrapolations from sodium benzoate data, which are not entirely conclusive. Regulatory authorities such as the FDA and EFSA have established acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels for both preservatives based on available toxicological data, considering them safe for use in food products within these limits. Potential genotoxic mechanisms may involve oxidative stress and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), but the evidence remains inconclusive and warrants further investigation. High concentrations of sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate may pose genotoxic risks, their use in food products within the regulatory limits is considered safe. Continuous monitoring and research are essential to confirm these findings and ensure consumer safety considering long-term and cumulative exposure. This review underscores the importance of ongoing evaluation of food preservatives to maintain public health standards.
Author Keywords: Sodium benzoate, Potassium benzoate, Food preservatives, Genotoxicity, Safety evaluation, In vitro studies, In vivo studies, Oxidative stress, Reactive oxygen species.
O. Ajayi Yewande1, F. Aluko Esther2, B. Mary Ajadi3, and A. Olugbenga Olowe4
1 National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria
2 Department of Global Public Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Australia
3 Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria
4 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Nigeria
Original language: English
Copyright © 2024 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Food preservatives such as sodium benzoate (E211) and potassium benzoate (E212) are widely used to prolong the shelf life of various food products by inhibiting microbial growth. Despite their prevalent usage, concerns regarding their potential genotoxic effects necessitate a thorough evaluation of their safety. This review provides a comprehensive assessment of the genotoxic potential of sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate, synthesizing findings from in vitro, in vivo, and human studies. Sodium benzoate, a sodium salt of benzoic acid, is primarily metabolized in the liver to hippuric acid, which is excreted in the urine. In vitro studies on sodium benzoate have shown mixed results, with some indicating DNA damage at high concentrations while others report no significant genotoxic effects. In vivo studies in animals have similarly provided conflicting evidence, with genotoxic effects observed at high doses but not at levels relevant to human consumption. Human studies are limited, but in vitro assessments using human cell lines have not conclusively demonstrated genotoxic effects at typical dietary exposure levels. Potassium benzoate, the potassium salt of benzoic acid, shares a similar metabolic pathway with sodium benzoate. However, specific studies on the genotoxicity of potassium benzoate are less abundant. Preliminary in vitro studies have not indicated significant genotoxic effects at commonly used concentrations and limited in vivo animal studies suggest no significant genotoxic risk at doses relevant to human exposure. The absence of direct human studies on potassium benzoate necessitates reliance on extrapolations from sodium benzoate data, which are not entirely conclusive. Regulatory authorities such as the FDA and EFSA have established acceptable daily intake (ADI) levels for both preservatives based on available toxicological data, considering them safe for use in food products within these limits. Potential genotoxic mechanisms may involve oxidative stress and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), but the evidence remains inconclusive and warrants further investigation. High concentrations of sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate may pose genotoxic risks, their use in food products within the regulatory limits is considered safe. Continuous monitoring and research are essential to confirm these findings and ensure consumer safety considering long-term and cumulative exposure. This review underscores the importance of ongoing evaluation of food preservatives to maintain public health standards.
Author Keywords: Sodium benzoate, Potassium benzoate, Food preservatives, Genotoxicity, Safety evaluation, In vitro studies, In vivo studies, Oxidative stress, Reactive oxygen species.
How to Cite this Article
O. Ajayi Yewande, F. Aluko Esther, B. Mary Ajadi, and A. Olugbenga Olowe, “A Review of the Evaluation and Potential Genotoxicity of Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Benzoate as Food Preservatives in Health and Various Applications,” International Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research, vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 212–218, September 2024.
