Sodium Benzoate

Some toxicity testing has shown sodium benzoate to be poisonous at certain concentrations. However, research conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found that in small doses and mixed with food, sodium benzoate is not deleterious to health. Similar conclusions were drawn about larger doses taken with food, although certain physiological changes were noted. Based on this research and subsequent years of safety data, the United States government has determined sodium benzoate to be generally recognized as safe (GRAS). It is allowed to be used in food products at all levels below 0.1%. Other countries allow higher levels, up to 1.25%.

Studies investigating the accumulation of sodium benzoate in the body have also been done. This led to the discovery of a natural metabolic process that combines sodium benzoate with glycine to produce hippuric acid, a material that is then excreted. This excretion mechanism accounts for nearly 95% of all the ingested sodium benzoate. The remainder is thought to be detoxified by conjugation with glycuronic acid.