The company said it began removing the preservative (E211) from production lines in January, and so it should be out of circulation by the end of the year.
However, the additive removal is only currently planned for products sold in Britain. The Coca-Cola Company could not confirm if any other countries would follow suit.
Possible risks from sodium benzoate
Sodium benzoate is used as a preservative in drinks, providing safety and stability for the product. It has proved a controversial additive, as recent studies have highlighted health concerns from its use.
However, Coca-Cola insisted the move was not a result of the studies and was keen to point out that both EFSA and the FSA have granted the product safe, and its removal from Diet Coke is simply a response to consumer preferences for natural.
A spokesperson said: "We have looked at removing sodium benzoate for a number of years in a move towards having no artificial additives. Our decision is based on emerging consumer trends for natural."
Last year, research linked the product to cell damage. The study was conducted by professor Peter Piper from Sheffield University, an expert in molecular biology and biotechnology.
He tested benzoate on yeast cells and found the preservative spurred an increase in production of oxygen radicals, or free radicals, which several studies have linked to serious illnesses and ageing in general.
Benzoate appeared to attack cells' mitochondria, damaging their ability to prevent oxygen leaks that create free radicals. Yeast cells were used because of their similarity to human ones, but no research on humans has been done.
Additionally, sodium benzoate was present in the Southampton study, which linked additives to hyperactivity in children.
In the study, two mixes of additives were given to children. While the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) decided the study was insufficient to determine a ban on the colours, it has since sparked the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) to encourage the voluntary removal of the artificial colours from products.
Because sodium benzoate was present in both mixes but resulted in different effects on hyperactivity, no recommendations have been made on its removal. However, it has not failed to raise concern in consumers.
Because the conversion of sodium benzoate to benzene occurs in the presence of vitamin C, this unhealthy preservative may be particularly unsafe when used in fruit jellies, jams, and fruit juices where high vitamin C fruits are present. It’s also thought that heat plays a role in the conversion to benzene, so heating products containing this preservative could increase the risk of negative health effects.
Unfortunately, many of the preservatives used in common food products have raised health concerns although sodium benzoate appears to be under the most scrutiny right now. To reduce your risk of exposure, read nutrition labels closely and avoid products that contain sodium benzoate, which can also be listed on the label as E211. Be particularly careful to avoid buying products high in vitamin C that have this unhealthy preservative and never put any product containing sodium benzoate under heat. To avoid the dangers of food preservatives entirely, avoid processed and packaged foods and make your own fresh items at home .
Yoli contains NO PRESERVATIVES!
