Benzoate (sodium benzoate)
Found in: Fruit juice, carbonated drinks, picklesWhat does it do? It’s an antimicrobial agent to prevent bacteria from growing in the foods.
Is it safe? Probably not. Sodium benzoate by itself is not dangerous, but when it combines with Vitamin C, it can form benzene, which is a recognized carcinogen. The food industry likes to point out that we also get benzene from breathing polluted air and drinking polluted water, but this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t eliminate it where we can! Fortunately, there’s not a lot to worry about for the Paleo crowd, since by far the largest source in the modern diet is soft drinks.
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