Potassium benzoate is a synthetic compound in some foods and drinks. Very small amounts can be safe to consume.
Many foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and hygiene products contain potassium benzoate. It has antifungal and antibacterial qualities that allow it to act as a preservative.
This article looks into which foods contain potassium benzoate and what effects it might have on a person’s health.

Potassium benzoate and other closely related compounds are in many food and drinks — primarily mass-produced products.
The amount varies from brand to brand, but the following foods and drinks
Researchers have yet to determine whether potassium benzoate is safe to consume.
According to the
The FDA has yet to make a specific ruling about potassium benzoate, and some concerns about long-term exposure to benzoate preservatives remain.
Some companies, such as large-scale soft drink manufacturers, use potassium benzoate as a preservative. They
Studies have explored how much potassium benzoate animals could consume without having adverse effects. The results of these studies were the basis for the current limits on the amount of benzoate in foods and drinks.
However, since these initial studies, there have been great advancements in tools that help identify and assess cellular and tissue damage and damage to biological systems.
The safety concerns about potassium benzoate stem from the fact that in warm conditions or with exposure to ultraviolet light, the compound
These chemicals include:
- ascorbic acid, better known as vitamin C
- benzoate salts
- erythorbic acid, also called d-ascorbic acid
The reaction between potassium benzoate and these chemicals then
Manufacturers also frequently add benzene to industrial dyes, chemicals, some plastics, and detergents.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) observe, people who work in industries that make or use benzene may be exposed to the highest levels of this chemical. The CDC also warns that benzene can cause leukemia.
According to the
New research will help experts fully understand the side effects of potassium benzoate, including their severity, how common they may be, and how much a person needs to consume to experience adverse effects.
So far, most research in humans has focused on the health impacts of consuming benzoate, sodium benzoate, or benzene, in large doses.
Older
In 2017,
Benzene exposure or consumption produces noticeable and potentially severe symptoms.
According to the CDC, the symptoms that a person might experience in the minutes or hours after they consume high amounts of benzene include:
- vomiting
- stomach irritation
- dizziness
- sleepiness
- convulsions
- rapid or irregular heartbeat
- death, if the levels are very high
The symptoms a person might experience in the minutes or hours after breathing in benzene include:
- drowsiness
- dizziness
- a rapid or irregular heartbeat
- headaches
- tremors
- confusion
- unconsciousness
- death, if the levels are very high
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Overall, determining the possible side effects of potassium benzoate requires more studies.
Researchers and health experts have yet to identify the health effects of potassium benzoate.
Other types of benzoate, such as sodium benzoate, are regarded as safe. However, the FDA notes that it has not determined whether it would be safe to consume levels higher than 0.1%.
In addition, potassium benzoate can also react with other chemicals to form benzene, a known carcinogen.