Additives
Benzoic Acid (E210): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Moderate
Preservative · Antimicrobial
Can combine with Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in drinks to form benzene - a known carcinogen. People with asthma or aspirin sensitivity may have adverse reactions.
- Category
- Preservative — Antimicrobial
- Typically used in
- Fizzy drinks, fruit juices, pickles, jams
- Regulatory status
- Approved EU/USA/UK. Benzene formation risk with Vitamin C.
- Concerns flagged
-
Possible allergenCarcinogenicity concern
Scrannr flags Benzoic Acid automatically when you scan a barcode.
Sources
Where this comes from
- EFSA (2016) — Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of benzoic acid -E 210-, sodium benzoate -E 211-, potassium benzoate -E 212- and calcium benzoate -E 213- as food additives http://dx.doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2016.4433
- McCann et al. (2007) — Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children: randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial (Southampton study) https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61306-3
Products
Products containing Benzoic Acid
We're building product pages that show real UK products containing Benzoic Acid, using Open Food Facts data. They'll appear here soon — in the meantime, scan any barcode with the Scrannr app to check for it instantly.
Let Scrannr read the label.
Scan a barcode and get the additives flagged in plain English, plus a clear health score. Free to download.