
Cold Drinks Threat to DNA
May 31, 2007Latest research by a British scientist shows that a preservative used in cold drinks can switch off vital parts of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), causing serious damage to cells particularly in children.
Sodium benzoate or E211 has been used as a preservative for decades by the 74 billion pound global carbonated drinks industry. It is used to kill yeast, bacteria, and fungi in soft drinks, jam, fruit juice and salad dressing.
When mixed with vitamin C it forms benzene, a carcinogenic substance. The preservative is also found naturally in cranberries, prunes, greengages, cinnamon, ripe cloves and apples. Peter Piper, a molecular biology expert at Sheffield University studied the preservative and found it could damage an important part of DNA called mitochondria.
“These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it, they knock it out altogether,” said Piper.
“The mitochondria consumes the oxygen to give you energy and if you damage it then the cell starts to malfunction very seriously,” he said.
“And there is a whole array of diseases now being tied to damage to this part of DNA. Parkinson’s and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases, but above all the whole process of ageing can be caused by the damage,” added Piper.
However, makers of drinks like Coca-Cola, Fanta and Diet Pepsi insisted that experts had rigorously assessed the additive before it had been approved for use.
Coca-Cola said all their ingredients have been approved as safe by the food regulatory authorities in Britain and the European Union (EU), from where they take their guidance.







