Food
Carbonated Soft Drinks: What You Should Know
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Also available in PDF (2.0 MB) and en español (Spanish) PDF (1.9 MB).
What You Should Know about | ![]() A Note About BenzeneBenzene, a carcinogen, may form at very small levels in some carbonated soft drinks that contain both benzoate salts (added to inhibit growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). FDA has no standard for benzene in beverages other than bottled water. For bottled water, FDA has adopted the US Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 5 parts per billion (ppb) for drinking water, as a quality standard. Between November 2005 and May 2007, FDA analyzed almost 200 soft drink and other beverage samples and found that 10 samples contained benzene levels over 5 ppb. All 10 products have either been reformulated or discontinued by their manufacturers. Benzene levels in the reformulated products, if detected at all, were less than 1.5 ppb. FDA has determined that that the levels of benzene found in beverages to date do not pose a safety concern for consumers. FDA continues to test beverage samples for the presence of benzene. |
Additional Label InformationAdditional information on carbonated soft drinks containers includes:
Diet carbonated soft drinks containing phenylalanine must also include the statement, “PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE,” for individuals who suffer from phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder in which the body can’t process that amino acid. If the phenylalanine level gets too high in these individuals, it can damage the brain. | ![]() |
Everyone can practice safe food handling by following these four simple steps:
For more information, contact: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Food Information Line at 1-888-SAFEFOOD (toll free), 10 AM to 4 PM ET, Monday through Friday. Or visit the FDA Web site at www.fda.gov.