The FDA continues its harmful to the public relationship with industry.
Benzene is listed as carcinogenic by the US Food & Drug Administration
(FDA). FDA and the beverage industry have been aware of the fact that
sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid together form benzene in soft drinks
since at least 1990. They even debated about how much a drink's exposure
to heat could exacerbate the benzene problem. There was discussion about
reformulating soft drinks to reduce benzene to safe drinking water levels
but nothing was mandated. The FDA set no maximum limit for benzene in
soft drinks.

Recently, a concerned industry whistle blower paid for independent
testing and discovered that some soft drinks still contain benzene levels
considerably above the limit allowed in water. The story was reported
in February 2006 by a BeverageDaily.com investigation. Consequently,
FDA re opened its investigation of the benzene issue.

An FDA chemist and the US soft drink association stated that some soft
drink firms might not know of the potential for sodium benzoate and
ascorbic acid to form benzene in drinks. Anyone who believes that any
multi billion dollar yearly industry is not aware of everything about
the chemistry of its products is naive. The chemical reaction of sodium
benzoate and ascorbic acid help create the zing and addiction that appeals
to soft drinkers. The soft drink industry does not want to stop using it
in some products even if it causes or helps cause cancer in its customers.

Industry and FDA continue to assure us that consumers are not at immediate
risk from drinks containing benzene at the levels found in soft drinks
to date. Science, rather than speculative belief, shows that there is
immediate harm to soft drinkers. FDA has knowingly allowed consumers
to drink carcinogenic benzene for 15 years and kept those who needed to
know ignorant.

For people who consumed soft drinks and want to remove any bodily
storage of benzene before it could cause cancer, I suggest that they
drink 1-2 cups of raw mixed vegetable juices of only 90% celery and 10%
cilantro once daily around noon time for 5 consecutive days. I suggest
that they eat 1 tablespoon of no salt  added raw cheese and 1 tablespoon
of unsalted raw butter or avocado about 20 minutes after drinking the
juices. I suggest that they repeat that process every 10 days for 2-6
years, depending on how much soft drinks they consumed.