ABC 7 Medical: FDA Investigates Benzene In Soda Drinks

ABC 7 Medical: FDA Investigates Benzene In Soda Drinks
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0206/305799.html
Friday February 24, 2006 4:11pm Reporter: Kathy Fowler
-WJLA Broadcast Script-
Anchor:
SOME DISTURBING NEWS ABOUT SOME SOFT DRINKS.
ABC-7 NEWS HAS LEARNED THE FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION IS INVESTIGATING
WHETHER SEVERAL POPULAR BRANDS OF SODA COULD POSSIBLY BE CONTAMINATED
WITH A POTENTIAL CANCER CAUSING AGENT.
AS MEDICAL REPORTER KATHY FOWLER SHARES IN HER EXCLUSIVE REPORT, A
CHEMIST AT THE FDA SAYS THE AGENCY IS NOT ALERTING THE PUBLIC YET, BUT
HE SAYS HE IS CONCERNED.
Kathy Fowler on set:
TESTING, DONE IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS SHOWED THE CARCINOGEN BENZENE IN
SOME SOFT DRINKS IS HIGHER THAN WHAT'S GENERALLY CONSIDERED SAFE. THE
FDA IS NOW TESTING LARGER SAMPLES.
Story Script:
AT LEAST A DOZEN DIFFERENT SOFT DRINK BRANDS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE
CONTAMINATED ACCORDING TO A FDA CHEMIST BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN 2
DIFFERENT ADDITIVES.
SODIUM BENZOATE AND ASCORBIC ACID OR VITAMIN C, YOU CAN SEE BOTH LISTED
ON EVERY ONE OF THESE SOFT DRINKS.
Tim Kropp: "When you put those two chemicals together in the presence
of heat or sunlight or just a lot of time you'll end up with benzene
which is a known human carcinogen."
FDA OFFICIALS WOULD NOT GO ON CAMERA, BUT THEY DID CONFIRM THAT THEY
TESTED 10 TO 20 DIFFERENT SODAS AND FOUND SOME TO HAVE TWICE TO 4 TIMES
THE LEVEL OF BENZENE THAN WHAT'S CONSIDERED SAFE IN WATER. WATER IS THE
ONLY BEVERAGE THAT HAS SAFETY STANDARDS FOR BENZENE.
A SPOKESPERSON FOR AMERICAN BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION SAYS ANY LEVELS OF
BENZENE DETECTED ARE WELL BELOW WHAT COULD POSE A HEALTH RISK.
Kevin Keane, American Beverage Association: "You can't compare the
standard for bottled water for soda, the standard for bottled water is
based on someone drinking 2 liters of bottled water from the same
source everyday for 70 Years of their life. That obviously doesn't
happen with drinks."
FDA OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE NOT ALERTING THE PUBLIC YET BECAUSE IT'S
STILL EARLY IN THEIR INVESTIGATION.
BUT ACCORDING TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GUIDELINES, IF THE
SAME LEVELS OF BENZENE ARE DISCOVERED IN CITY DRINKING WATER THE PUBLIC
MUST BE NOTIFIED THROUGH NEWSPAPERS, RADIO AND TV IN ORDER TO PREVENT
SERIOUS RISKS TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE SOFT DRINK INDUSTRY AND THE FDA HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL
PROBLEM FOR 15 YEARS. ABC-7 NEWS HAS OBTAINED THIS MEMO DATED 1990 WHEN
THE FDA FIRST INVESTIGATED BENZENE IN SOFT DRINKS.
FORMER FDA SCIENCE ADVISOR GLEN LAWRENCE SAYS THERE IS NO REASON TO
HAVE BOTH OF THESE ADDITIVES IN A SOFT DRINK. WE'VE KNOWN SINCE 1990
THAT THEY CAN FORM A CARCINOGEN. THE FDA TRUSTED THE SOFT DRINK
ASSOCIATION TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM 15 YEARS AGO.
Kathy Fowler on set tag:
THE AMERICAN BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION SAYS THEY WERE THE ONES WHO FIRST
DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM 15 YEARS AGO. THEY SAY IT WAS TAKEN CARE YEARS
AGO BUT SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY NEW SODA PRODUCTS THEY NEED TO SPREAD
THE WORD THAT CERTAIN FORMULATIONS CAN SPIKE BENZENE LEVELS.



_________________

History and Origin of Benzene in Soft Drinks Marketed to Children:
A Whistleblower Explains "Project Denver"
("smoking gun" documents uploaded)

http://schoolpouringrights.com