by Rajeev Syal

Traces of a carcinogenic chemical have been found in soft drinks at eight
times the level permitted in drinking water, it was revealed last night.

Tests conducted on 230 drinks on sale in Britain and France have identified
high levels of benzene, a compound known to cause cancer, according to the
Food Standards Agency. There is a legal limit of one part per billion of
benzene in British drinking water. The latest tests revealed levels of up to
eight parts per billion in some soft drinks.

Benzene has been linked to leukaemia and other cancers of the blood. Traces
found in Perrier water 15 years ago led to the withdrawal of more than 160
million bottles worldwide. The disclosure has prompted food safety
campaigners to demand that the Government reveal which products contain
benzene. At present, the drinks¹ identities have not been revealed.

Richard Watts, of Sustain, a pressure group lobbying for better food
standards, said that this should be done urgently because the drinks were
being marketed to children. ³The scientific evidence is unclear about
whether there is any safe level of benzene. We see no reason why it should
be different from the designated safe level in drinking water. If it is
unsafe in drinking water, why should it be safe in soft drinks?² he said.

The Food Standards Agency, the government watchdog, said that the products
did not pose an immediate health risk, but called for further investigation
from the British drinks industry. ³Let¹s have further investigations and
regular discussions with the drinks industry to check what is happening. If
levels are high then the FSA will take action to protect consumers,² an
agency spokesman said.

Food scientists believe that high levels of benzene may have been produced
by the reaction of two commonly used ingredients ‹ sodium benzoate, a
preservative, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). Sodium benzoate is widely used
in the drinks sector. In Britain, it is used in Britvic brands including
Britvic 55 apple and orange flavours, Pennine Spring flavoured waters and
Shandy Bass.It is not known if any of these products were included in the
latest tests. A spokesman for Britvic has previously expressed confidence in
its products.

A spokesman for the British Soft Drinks Association said yesterday that the
industry was working to reduce the levels of benzene in soft drinks. ³There
is an obligation on the industry to have as low a level of benzene as
possible and we are looking at ways of reducing the levels ‹ and maybe even
removing the preservative ‹ if we can replace it with something else,² he
said.