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Headlines : MiscellaneousSoft Drinks Found to Have High Levels of Cancer Chemical
Industry officials claim that they are “working to reduce the levels of benzene in soft drinks.” What sort of “work” does this require. For what reason in benzene present in the drinks to begin with?
Food scientists believe that high levels of benzene may have been produced by the reaction of two commonly used ingredients — sodium benzoate, a preservative, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
[Posted By ShiftShapers]Republished from The Times Online [UK] via Common Dreams
Tests conducted on 230 drinks on sale in Britain and France have identified high levels of benzene, a compound known to cause cancer, according to the Food Standards Agency. There is a legal limit of one part per billion of benzene in British drinking water. The latest tests revealed levels of up to eight parts per billion in some soft drinks.
Benzene has been linked to leukaemia and other cancers of the blood. Traces found in Perrier water 15 years ago led to the withdrawal of more than 160 million bottles worldwide. The disclosure has prompted food safety campaigners to demand that the Government reveal which products contain benzene. At present, the drinks’ identities have not been revealed.
Richard Watts, of Sustain, a pressure group lobbying for better food standards, said that this should be done urgently because the drinks were being marketed to children. “The scientific evidence is unclear about whether there is any safe level of benzene. We see no reason why it should be different from the designated safe level in drinking water. If it is unsafe in drinking water, why should it be safe in soft drinks?” he said.
The Food Standards Agency, the government watchdog, said that the…
Posted by ShiftShapers
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yummy
White House Delays Release of Study Showing Toxic Rocket Fuel in Most Americans
Typo in the summary, I capitalized the suggested change; “For what reason IS benzene present in the drinks to begin with?”
thanks linger – this got pushed through before anyone was able to provide peer editorial feedback in the yard. wasn’t me. thanks though
holy shit,
i was just sitting here enjoying a popular soft drink [sunkist orange soda] and… bam
sodium benzoate(preservative) and ascorbic acid.
makes me think of all of the medical professionals i’ve seen throughout the years who say “we still have no clue as to what is causing this cancer epidemic, but there is no reason to panic because perhaps there is no epidemic at all…
...maybe we have just become better at detecting cancer, which is why so many cases are being reported.”
......hmmm, think i’ll have another sip :-)
So glad I don’t drink juice. Worrying for parents who have children who are hooked on the stuff though.
aaah tastes great
just kidding, fuck this shit.
“sodium benzoate”
SHOPKEEPER: “Take this object, but beware: it carries a terrible curse!”
HOMER: “Oooh, that’s bad.”
SHOPKEEPER: “But it comes with a free Frogurt!”
HOMER: “That’s good!”
SHOPKEEPER: “The Frogurt is also cursed.”
HOMER: “That’s bad.”
SHOPKEEPER: “But you get your choice of toppings!”
HOMER: “That’s good!”
SHOPKEEPER: “The toppings contain sodium benzoate.” [Homer looks puzzled.] “That’s bad.”
HOMER: “Can I go now?”
Ah.. my teenage years. Spent them watching The Simpsons. But at least they were the best years of the The Simpsons.
:’-D
nice one Joe…that’s one of my favorites by far.
i’m glad not to be the only one quoting The Simpsons on the forum too…
wait a minuite,
thats from the cursed krusty doll episode!
the simpsons used to be a great satire for how americans think.