Saturday December 15, 2007
‘Soft drinks can damage cells’
PENANG: The Government has been urged to phase out the use of sodium benzoate as a preservative in soft drinks because research has shown that it can cause cell damage.
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohd Idris said recent research done by Professor Peter Piper from Sheffield University in England suggested that this common preservative could “switch off” vital parts of DNA, causing serious cell damage in humans.
“Once the cell is damaged, it might eventually lead to degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease,” Mohd Idris told a press conference here yesterday.
In Malaysia, the use of benzoic acid or sodium benzoate is allowed under the Food Regulation.
Concerned consumer: Mohd Idris showing the sodium benzoate preservative used in some commercial drinks.
The amount of benzoic acid allowed ranges from 2,000ppm (parts per million) in flavoured drink concentrate to 800ppm in soft drinks for direct consumption.
Mohd Idris also urged the Government to curb the marketing of soft drinks and other high-calorie beverages, saying that such drinks are capable of causing a variety of disease like cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and tooth decay.
When contacted, Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the ministry was concerned over the matter.
“We will look into the research from various aspects like how it was conducted, what research methods were adapted and how many items were tested,” he said.
He said the ministry would also consult various international organisations including the World Health Organisation on the matter.