Soft Drinks Found to Have High Levels of Cancer Chemical

[Satisfaction 1]

Scary news... I just read this. I'm glad that my kids and I usually drink water at home, and not so often soft drinks. The end of an industry?

Published on Thursday, March 2, 2006 by the Times / UK

"Traces of a carcinogenic chemical have been found in soft drinks at eight times the level permitted in drinking water, it was revealed last night.

Tests conducted on 230 drinks on sale in Britain and France have identified high levels of benzene, a compound known to cause cancer, according to the Food Standards Agency. There is a legal limit of one part per billion of benzene in British drinking water. The latest tests revealed levels of up to eight parts per billion in some soft drinks.

Benzene has been linked to leukaemia and other cancers of the blood. Traces found in Perrier water 15 years ago led to the withdrawal of more than 160 million bottles worldwide. The disclosure has prompted food safety campaigners to demand that the Government reveal which products contain benzene. At present, the drinks’ identities have not been revealed.

Richard Watts, of Sustain, a pressure group lobbying for better food standards, said that this should be done urgently because the drinks were being marketed to children. “The scientific evidence is unclear about whether there is any safe level of benzene. We see no reason why it should be different from the designated safe level in drinking water. If it is unsafe in drinking water, why should it be safe in soft drinks?” he said. "

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0302-07.htm

[KarenCee 3]

Sigh....what will be next?

[cmartyn 0]

Frigfging Benzene again.. last time it was the Perier or whatever water remember? Now its soft drinks.. If they insist on cleaning food vats with benzene, they should bloody well rinse it out. Lazy good for nothing mfers...

Sorry, just read the article, now they found some dupe to say it wasnt from cleaning, its from Vitamins... Yeah ok.

[Satisfaction 1]

Frigfging Benzene again.. last time it was the Perier or whatever water remember? Now its soft drinks.. If they insist on cleaning food vats with benzene, they should bloody well rinse it out. Lazy good for nothing mfers...

Sorry, just read the article, now they found some dupe to say it wasnt from cleaning, its from Vitamins... Yeah ok.

This is what I fouod in Wikipedia

"In February, 2006, a former chemist at Cadbury Schweppes revealed that benzene may be created as part of a chemical reaction during production of soft drinks, particularly those having an orange flavor. Full scale investigations immediately started at the Food and Drug Administration (USA), Food Standards Agency (UK), and in Germany to reveal exactly which amounts of benzene, if any, were present, with several other organizations awaiting their findings.The key ingredients leading to the formation of benzene during production would according to his claims be ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium benzoate (E211). Of equal concern, the chemist told media the soda industry have known of this problem for 15 years, and supports himself with document copies explaining how benzene is a possible byproduct of these ingredients that exist in over a thousand soft drinks. More than extremely small trace amounts found after investigation would be of major concern, as benzene is a very aggressive carcinogen even in small amounts, and may among other things lead to leukemia."

[Texanadian 10]

Ah, good ol' Benzene. My fiancee used to drive home from the drag strip at night through the industrial areas (when the chemical plants would release it). She said you could feel your skin burning.

[kc456 0]

Either way, soda is all empty calories and a waste of money.

[Jaylen Brit 0]

I don't drink orange flavored things (unless you count OJ, lol, and I only drink the fresh stuff of that), and my kid only ever has apple juice or water, but I do drink a lot of sugar free soda (she doesn't) so no clue if thats 'bad' or not. But every day its another thing thats BAD for us, until it isn't of course.

Eggs were 'bad' but now they are 'good'

Wine was 'bad' but now its good in moderation

I lose track of what I'm 'supposed' to eat and what I shouldn't, so I'll just stick to my diet thats high in veggies and protein and low in sugars and refined carbs..certainly feel healthier I must say, lol.

[Aymerlu 3]

I wonder if they could do a study on the things that WILL NOT give us cancer.

[Jaylen Brit 0]

Studies give you cancer..so do scientists with more grant money than they know what to do with who DO these studies

Singing in the bath, however, will NOT give you cancer (unless of course you are in a bath in Chernobyl - jury is out on that one..maybe someone can study that, ROFL)

[isleta521 5]

Drink less soft drinks and drink more beer.

[faith 0]

Everything will eventually give you cancer

[almaty 19]

Everything will eventually give you cancer

i agree....

[faith 0]

Everything will eventually give you cancer

i agree....

want a soda?

[Mirorgate 0]

Everything will eventually give you cancer

i agree....

Even laundrey?

[almaty 19]

Everything will eventually give you cancer

i agree....

Even laundrey?

well, doing laundry can lead to dancing..and that is a no-no in some religions

Everything will eventually give you cancer

i agree....

want a soda?

i sure do faith, make it an Orange Soda...