Re: Rachael Ray's New .... & Sodium Benzoate

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Just wanted to mention that Monavie has Sodium Benzoate -- here is some info

about the effects of that if you're interested.

" Research from a British university suggests that sodium benzoate, a common

preservative found in many soft drinks, has the ability to switch off vital

parts of DNA.

This could eventually lead to diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver and

Parkinson's.

When a UK professor of molecular biology and biotechnology tested the impact of

sodium benzoate on living yeast cells, he discovered that it was damaging

important DNA in the cells' mitochondria.

Mitochondria serve as the " power stations " for cells, and damage to them can

lead to serious cell malfunctions associated with aging and age-related disease.

The damage caused by sodium benzoate was great enough to cause the mitochondria

to stop functioning.

Sodium benzoate occurs naturally in berries in small amounts, but is used in

large quantities to prevent mold in soft drinks such as Sprite, Diet Pepsi,

Coca-Cola, and Dr Pepper. It is also added to pickles and sauces. "

The Independent May 27, 2007

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[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info! This was a concern of mine before I bought the product. This is what the company emailed me, although I agree that just because something is approved by the FDA doesn't necessarily mean it is safe. It does however, explain the many sources of benzene in our water and foods. - PH

Thank you for your email. Sodium benzoate is an approved preservative by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is very safe and has been used in food products for over a century. As a preservative, sodium benzoate preserves freshness. It also acts as a controller; meaning it controls and prevents the growth of yeasts and molds. Yeasts and molds tend to grow in fruit based products and if allowed to cultivate they can decompose a product's nutritional content.

Safety is of primary importance to MonaVie. Sodium benzoate interacts with vitamin C to form benzene; however, benzene is only a concern if the levels of benzene are very high. MonaVie repeatedly tests its products to check for benzene. There are acceptable levels of benzene described as "parts per billion" and MonaVie's products are well below the acceptable levels of benzene as outlined by the FDA and World Health Organization (WHO). The FDA has set a standard for benzene for bottled water—it naturally occurs in water—as 5 parts per billion (ppb). To help put this into perspective, this is comparable to 5 drops of benzene found in 4000 gallons of water. Results from MonaVie tests finds our products are WELL below 5 ppb. MonaVie consistently tests below 3 ppb. The possible negative effects of yeasts and molds growing in MonaVie are far greater than extremely low levels of benzene.

"There have been reports concerning benzene in soft drinks. At issue is the reaction of sodium benzoate, a preservative, with vitamin C, which is present in many beverages. It seems clear that in the presence of trace amounts of metals which catalyze the reaction, vitamin C produces free radicals that can convert benzoate into benzene. That's why some beverages have been found to contain as much as 50 ppb of benzene, ten times what is allowed in drinking water. But when we make the calculation, we find that a liter of such a drink contains 50 micrograms of benzene, which means that even at an impossible consumption rate of 120 liters a day, we would be below the amount that has no effect in occupational workers." (Source: The Soft Drink Industry) Of course, soft drinks are not our only exposure to benzene. When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration carried out a survey of seventy foods over five years, benzene was found in every item except for American cheese and vanilla ice cream. A hamburger, for example, has 4 micrograms, but this is only one tenth of the amount of benzene in the smoke inhaled from a cigarette. A banana can harbor up to 20 micrograms. Still, when all exposures are added up, we are well below the levels that have been linked with leukemia.

Is the risk zero? No. In some unlucky person a trace of benzene may start a cascade of events that leads to cancer. Therefore all efforts should be made to minimize exposure to carcinogens, particularly in the workplace -- but traces of benzene in soft drinks are not a big deal. We should worry about the benzene we're inhaling when we're pumping gas. That's about 20 micrograms -- but even if you let the gas station attendant pump your gas, you'll be breathing in about 20-30 micrograms per hour just from the exhaust of the cars in front of you. In comparison, the average total daily intake from diet is about 5 micrograms.

In addition I would like to note that sodium benzoate is an offshoot of benzoic acid which occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables… including cranberries (which are present in MonaVie blends as an excellent source of antioxidants). Even in the event of removing sodium benzoate from MonaVie, benzene would still occur as benzoic acid is present in cranberries and many other fruits. If you have any further questions feel free to email me back. Have a great day! Thank you, B.Product Specialist

At MonaVie, our mission is to change and improve lives around the world by introducing unique nutritional products, offering a rewarding business opportunity, and by giving back through our charitable initiatives.

Thank you for choosing MonaVie!

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