Cancer-causing benzene found in some drinks: FDA

[CHIMO]

Washington — A government analysis of more than 100 soft drinks and other beverages turned up five with levels of cancer-causing benzene that exceed federal drinking-water standards, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

The companies that make the drinks have been alerted and either have reformulated their products or plan to do so, the FDA said. Government health officials maintain there is no safety concern, an opinion not shared by at least one environmental group.

The five drinks listed by the government were Safeway Select Diet Orange, Crush Pineapple, AquaCal Strawberry Flavored Water Beverage, Crystal Light Sunrise Classic Orange and Giant Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail. The high levels of benzene were found in specific production lots of the drinks, the FDA said.

Benzene, a chemical linked to leukemia, can form in soft drinks containing two ingredients: Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, and either of the two preservatives: sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060519.wbenzene0519/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home

[truthisfreedom]

1. well, guys, i'd suggest you leave out the preservative or the vitamin c.

vitamin c isn't helping anyone if it's giving people cancer because of the presence of preservatives.

[NJ_Lib]

4. Or maybe someone can actually eat an...

... orange these days...? :)

[WePurrsevere]

5. Vitamin C is one of quite a few a natural preservatives that are often

used in "natural" products instead of sodium benzoate, potassium benzoate, etc. I'm not sure why they feel they need to use one of the "benziotes" as well.

[MessiahRp]

2. Is it by chance found in KOOL AID?

I figure if so there's a lot of right wingers who are going to be pretty unhappy. :)

Rp

[Rufus T. Firefly]

3. You'd think the bitter almond taste would cover it up though.

[bleedingheart]

6. no one will go to jail for this...but if you are a woman who breastfeeds

a child and happens to pass a poisonous substance to your child...well hell you will go to jail for that...

but if a major distributor of soft drinks poisons you...well who gives a shit...

[donsu]

7. I've always wondered about GatorAide

and never drank it but millions of outdoor workers slug it down like water.

[BuddhaGirl]

8. gatorade - not healthy!

Gatorade contains a lot of sugar, and petroleum products in the form of artifical colors:

Gatorade ingredients:

Gatorade Raspberry Lemonade

Ingredients: water, sucrose syrup, glucose-fructose syrup, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, salt, sodium citrate, monopotassium phosphate, ester gum, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, red 40, blue 1

Nutrition Facts: serving size: 8 fl oz; calories 50; total fat 0g; sodium 110mg; potassium 30mg; total carbs 14g; sugars 14g

YUCK! :puke:

[Robb]

9. Pretty wide range of obscure flavors and brands

...methinks this bodes poorly.