SUPER ANIMAL: Chemicals in soft drinks

Sunday 22 July 2012

Chemicals in soft drinks

Parents were warned to limit their children's consumption of soft drinks amid fears over the safety of a commonly-used preservative.
Research shows that E211 - found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max - can switch off vital parts of DNA, causing serious damage to cells.
Laboratory tests suggest this could even result in degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and cirrhosis of the liver.
However, the Food Standards Agency and drinks manufacturers insisted that the additive had been rigorously assessed before being approved for use.
The research into E211 - or sodium benzoate - was carried out by Peter Piper, a molecular biology expert at Sheffield University.
He found that it could damage an important area of DNA called mitochondria.