Sodium benzoate in non-alcoholic carbonated (soft) drinks: Exposure and health risks

Bee venom: A potential natural alternative to conventional preservatives for prolonging the shelf-life of soft cheese 'Talaga'

The study aims to explore bee venom (honey-BV) as a potential natural preservative for "Tallaga" soft cheese. Characterization of the active compounds in honey-BV was conducted via chromatographic analyses. Antimicrobial efficacy against pathogenic bacteria and fungi was evaluated, and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined. Subsequently, honey-BV was applied to Tallaga cheese at 15 mg/g concentrations. The main active ingredients identified in bee venom were apamin (2%) and melittin (48.7%). Both concentrations of bee venom (100 and 200 mg/mL) exhibited significant antifungal and antibacterial properties against tested organisms, with MIC values varied from 0.2 to 0.5 mg/mL for bacteria to 3-13 mg/mL for fungi. Application of honey-BV in Tallaga cheese resulted in complete elimination of Staphylococcal populations after 2 weeks of cold storage, with no detectable growth of molds or yeasts throughout the storage period. Additionally, a steady decrease in aerobic plate count was observed over time. In summary, honey-BV holds promise as a natural preservative for soft cheese, however, more investigation is required to optimize the concentration for economic viability, taking into account health benefits and safety considerations.

Effect of storage on the levels of sodium benzoate in soft drinks sold in some Nigerian market with exposure and health risk assessment

Soft drinks consumption is still a controversial issue for public health and public policy, as the influence storage condition impacts taste, color and shelf life. In all, fifty (50) soft drinks samples, acquired from Enugu, Aba, Asaba, Onitsha and Owerri markets in Nigeria, were subjected to four different storage conditions namely: room temperature (RT), refrigerated (RF), 40 °C and 60 °C for 15 days after which they were analyzed for sodium benzoate concentration using HPLC - UV/Vis detector. The results showed on the average that at RT and RF, soft drinks from Aba had the highest concentration of sodium benzoate (98.7 mg/L and 112.9 mg/L) respectively while samples from Asaba had least concentration of 39.9 mg/L and 38.1 mg/L. At increased temperature of 40 °C, the concentration of sodium benzoate increased generally across the sample, while at 60 °C, the levels in all the samples analyzed were either reduced to less than 50% or below detection level, which suggest that degradation of sodium benzoate at this elevated temperature could result in benzene formation, which is a known carcinogen. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment showed that children are at risk compared to adults due to higher sodium benzoate daily intake leading to high rate of hyperactivity in correlation to malaise.

A Catechol-Meter Based on Conventional Personal Glucose Meter for Portable Detection of Tyrosinase and Sodium Benzoate

In this study, the personal glucose meter (PGM) was first used as a fast and user-friendly meter for analyzing catechol (CA) based on the reduction of the mediator K₃[Fe(CN)₆] to K₄[Fe(CN)₆] in the glucose test strip. Then, an easy, low-cost, and convenient PGM-based method for detecting tyrosinase (TYR) activity and sodium benzoate (SBA) was developed on the basis of the TYR-catalyzed reaction. In this method, CA is oxidized to form o-benzoquinone by TYR, thereby reducing the residual amount of CA and the PGM readout. On the other hand, SBA can inhibit the oxidation of CA catalyzed by TYR and increase the residual amount of CA after the enzymatic reaction. Therefore, the activity of TYR is proportional to the difference in the PGM readout of CA, and the concentration of SBA is positively correlated with the residual amount of CA. After the relevant experimental conditions were systematically optimized, the proposed PGM-based method for the detection of TYR and SBA was successfully validated. The liner ranges are 1.0-103.3 U/mL and 6.25-1000 ppm, and the quantification limits are 1.0 U/mL and 6.25 ppm for TYR and SBA, respectively. Moreover, the spiked recovery tests in normal human serum and carbonate beverages (i.e., Cola, Sprite, and Fanta) were performed, and the recoveries (91.6-106.8%) further confirm the applicability of the PGM-based method in real sample analysis.

Sodium Benzoate—Harmfulness and Potential Use in Therapies for Disorders Related to the Nervous System: A Review

Currently, due to the large number of reports regarding the harmfulness of food additives, more and more consumers follow the so-called “clean label” trend, i.e., prefer and choose the least-processed food products. One of the compounds known as a preservative with a high safety profile is sodium benzoate. While some studies show that it can be used to treat conditions such as depression, pain, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases, others report its harmfulness. For example, it was found to cause mutagenic effects, generate oxidative stress, disrupt hormones, and reduce fertility. Due to such disparate results, the purpose of this study is to comprehensively discuss the safety profile of sodium benzoate and its potential use in neurodegenerative diseases, especially in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, major depressive disorder (MDD), and pain relief.

Anti-biofouling efficacy of three home and personal care product preservatives: Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm inhibition and prevention

Due to increasing water scarcity, it is essential to determine cost-effective and efficient methods of producing potable water, especially ones that utilize non-traditional sources. Although reverse osmosis (RO) shows promise as a key-player in mitigating water scarcity, it is limited by biofouling. It is therefore integral to identify effective antifoulants that also do not damage the membrane, cause resistance, or negatively impact human health and the environment. Potential antifoulants include preservatives used in home and personal care products. It is hypothesized that safer preservatives can be applied to RO systems to remove or prevent biofouling. Three preservatives including methylisothiazolinone (MIT), phenoxyethanol (PE), and sodium benzoate (SB) were tested via antimicrobial susceptibility tests against P. aeruginosa biofilms grown in 96-well plates to investigate both biofilm prevention and biofilm removal. Data were collected in the form of minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) and minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC), respectively. MIT was the most effective of the three preservatives but also poses the highest hazard to human health and the environment. Due to efficacy and safety concerns, MIT, PE, and SB are not the final solution; however, a process was demonstrated for determining the efficacy of novel, safer antifoulants. Ultimately, further investigations into safer antifoulants, paired with a greater understanding of biofilm removal and prevention doses will help make RO a better solution for water scarcity.

Green and Healthier Alternatives to Chemical Additives as Cheese Preservative: Natural Antimicrobials in Active Nanopackaging/Coatings

The side effects and potential impacts on human health by traditional chemical additives as food preservatives (i.e., potassium and sodium salts) are the reasons why novel policies are encouraged by worldwide public health institutes. More natural alternatives with high antimicrobial efficacy to extend shelf life without impairing the cheese physicochemical and sensory quality are encouraged. This study is a comprehensive review of emerging preservative cheese methods, including natural antimicrobials (e.g., vegetable, animal, and protist kingdom origins) as a preservative to reduce microbial cheese contamination and to extend shelf life by several efforts such as manufacturing ingredients, the active ingredient for coating/packaging, and the combination of packaging materials or processing technologies. Essential oils (EO) or plant extracts rich in phenolic and terpenes, combined with packaging conditions and non-thermal methods, generally showed a robust microbial inhibition and prolonged shelf life. However, it impaired the cheese sensory quality. Alternatives including EO, polysaccharides, polypeptides, and enzymes as active ingredients/nano-antimicrobials for an edible film of coating/nano-bio packaging showed a potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial action during shelf life, preserving cheese quality parameters such as pH, texture, color, and flavor. Future opportunities were identified in order to investigate the toxicological effects of the discussed natural antimicrobials' potential as cheese preservatives.