Benzene in flavoured beverages
(June 2006)
Background
Overseas agencies have recently reported the presence of benzene in some non-alcoholic beverages. In the past, testing by the United States Food and Drug Administration also confirmed the presence of benzene in some soft drinks. Reformulation of some soft drinks was said to have resolved the issue in some cases, but not all manufacturers have reformulated.
In early 2006 independent testing in the United States found levels of benzene 2-5 times the World Health Organization (WHO) water quality guideline levels of 10 parts per billion (ppb or 0.01 milligrams per litre). The news created international interest, with the United Kingdom, Germany and South Korea all conducting tests. Following this international interest and findings of low levels of benzene in soft drinks and other beverages, FSANZ investigated a range of Australian non-alcoholic beverages.
What is benzene?
Benzene is a widely used industrial chemical. It is converted to other chemicals which are used to make plastics, resins, and nylon and synthetic fibres, as well as some types of rubbers, lubricants, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides. Natural sources of benzene include volcanoes and forest fires. It is also a natural part of crude oil, gasoline and cigarette smoke.
Why is benzene found in some beverages?
Benzene can be formed at very low levels in beverages that contain both ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium benzoate. Sodium benzoate [Additive number 211] is a permitted food preservative that may be added to many food products to ensure the microbiological safety of the food. Ascorbic acid [Additive number 300] is also an approved food additive (antioxidant) which may be added to drinks. It also occurs naturally in fruit and fruit juices. Ascorbic acid reacts with metals (copper, iron) found in water to form hydroxyl radicals, which react with benzoic acid to form low levels of benzene.
How was the FSANZ survey of benzene in non-alcoholic beverages conducted?
FSANZ sampled 68 flavoured beverages in March/April 2006. These were purchased from typical retail outlets and analysed for benzene by a suitably qualified independent laboratory. The survey results are not representative of all flavoured beverages as the sampling was targeted mainly at beverages that were more likely to contain benzene and included; cola and non cola soft drinks, flavoured mineral waters, cordial, fruit juice, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and flavoured/sports water.
What were the results of the survey?
Of the 68 samples tested, 38 beverage products contained trace levels of benzene. The levels detected ranged from 1 to 40 ppb. More than 90% of all beverages surveyed had levels of benzene below the WHO guidelines for drinking water (10 ppb).
How am I exposed to benzene?
Benzene is widely distributed in the environment. Most people are exposed to a small amount of benzene on a daily basis, both in the outdoor environment and in the workplace. Exposure of the general population to benzene is mainly through breathing air that contains benzene from traffic pollution, and from both active and passive smoking. The major sources of benzene exposure via air are tobacco smoke, automobile service stations, exhaust from motor vehicles (benzene is present at 1-2% in most petrol blends), and industrial emissions. Vapours (or gases) from products that contain benzene - such as glues, paints, furniture wax and detergents - can also be a source of exposure. Much of the exposure of non-smokers comes from car-related activities, such as driving and refuelling.
Estimates of exposure to benzene vary, as shown in the table below. Intake from ambient and indoor air also varies considerably depending on whether the environment is industrial, a large urban centre or rural centres.
Source of exposure | Estimated exposure | Source of information |
Air: Inhalation exposure
Refilling car petrol tank Automobile-related activities Driving for one hour
|
220 µg (micrograms)/day 32 µg during refilling (3 mins) 49 µg/day
40 µg/day
|
EU
EU
Canada
ATSDR |
Diet Food and drink products Food Water and food |
0.2-3.1 µg/day
1.4 µg/day 1.4 µg/day |
EU
Canada IPCS |
Cigarette smoking
|
7900 µg/day 1820 µg/day 1800 µg/day |
EU Canada IPCS |
Passive smoking
|
63 µg/day 50 µg/day |
Canada IPCS |
Table 1: General world population exposure to benzene categorised by activityand media
Adapted from ATSDR, 2005;IPCS, 1993 and Health Canada , 1993.
Exposure to benzene from beverages represents a minor contribution compared to total benzene exposure and so the health risk is very low. The UK Food Standards Agency has stated that people would need to drink more than 20 litres of a drink containing benzene at 10 ppb each day to equal the amount of benzene you would breathe from city air in a day.
What action are food regulators taking?
The FSANZ survey results do not raise any public health concerns in relation to benzene levels in flavoured non-alcoholic beverages available in Australia , as the trace amounts found make a very small impact on overall benzene exposure. Nonetheless, FSANZ has liaised with other government departments and the food industry to ensure that levels of benzene in beverages are kept as low as can be achieved, while still ensuring the microbiological safety of these products.
The International Council of Beverages Associations (ICBA) has recently approved a Guidance Document to Mitigate the Potential for Benzene Formation in Beverages and this has been made available to all Australia beverage manufacturers. This document can be found at the following internet location:
http://www.australianbeverages.org/lib/pdf/ICBABenzeneGuidanceDocumentFinal.pdf
The National Health & Medical Research CouncilAustralian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG)provides a reference level for benzene in drinking water in Australia of 1 ppb. Manufacturers of flavoured beverages where benzene was found at levels of 1 ppb and above have been advised of the results of the FSANZ survey and have been referred to the ICBA’s Guidance Document to assist them to minimise the possible unintended formation of benzene.
The water guidelines are not mandatory requirements. However, they provide a basis for determining the quality of drinking water in all parts of Australia . The consumption of tap water is more than six times that of the relevant flavoured beverages.
The Australian Beverages Council has agreed to survey member companies’ compliance to the four key recommendations (Review, Test, Reformulate and Monitor) outlined in the ICBA Guidance Document on an annual basis, commencing 4th quarter 2006, and provide a summary of the findings to the relevant government regulatory body.
FSANZ has been collaborating with other regulatory agencies overseas, particularly Health Canada, on this issue. Further information can be found at: http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/chem-chim/benzene/index_e.html.
References
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2005. Toxicological Profile for Benzene (Draft for Public Comment). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp3.html
Bruinen de Bruin, Kotzias & Kephalopoulos, 2005 HEXPOC Human Exposure Characterisation of chemical substances: quantification of exposure routes, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection European Comission Joint Research Centre, Italy .
IPCS (1993) Environmental Health Criteria 150: Benzene. World Health Organization. http://www.inchem.org/
Health Canada (1993) Priority Substances List Assessment Report http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/pubs/contaminants/psl1-lsp1/benzene/benzene_e.pdf
National Health and Medical Research Council and the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, 2004 National Water Quality Management Strategy, Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.
June 2006