Piper says that benzoate can cause “substantial damage” to
mitochondria, the small ‘power stations’ within our cells that
consume most of the oxygen we breathe in order to generate
Adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP). He also claims that DNA damage
of this kind has been linked to several medical conditions. It
is thought to be instrumental in the liver cirrhosis caused by
chronic alcoholism, the neuronal cell death of Parkinson’s
disease, as well as to the progressive decline in our general
state of health in old age. It is common knowledge that sodium
benzoate, when combined with Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid), produces
free benzene, a known carcinogenic. A 2006 UK Food Standards
Agency survey on benzene in beverages found high levels in 4
brands, which were then removed from the Piper would like to see
new tests based on his research to verify safe levels of
benzoate. There has, however, been some other research on sodium
benzoate. No safe levels for sodium benzoate as an allergen have
been defined, according to All