Sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate tested for DNA damage in human cells
What it found
Both preservatives damaged chromosomes and slowed cell division in lab-grown human white blood cells.
Sodium benzoate also broke DNA strands, while potassium benzoate did not.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Chromosome damage in cells
Lab-grown human white blood cells showed more broken and rearranged chromosomes when exposed to almost every tested amount of either preservative, compared with untreated cells.
Cell division slowed
Both preservatives reduced how often the human cells divided at every tested amount. Neither changed how quickly the cells copied their DNA before dividing.
DNA strand breaks
Sodium benzoate caused a clear rise in broken DNA strands in the human cells. Potassium benzoate did not cause a significant rise in this type of damage.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that both sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate break chromosomes, cause mutations, and kill human white blood cells in lab tests.
How it was done
Scientists wanted to check whether these two common food preservatives can harm DNA in human cells.
They grew human white blood cells in the lab and exposed them to five different amounts of each preservative. They then looked for broken or rearranged chromosomes, extra tiny DNA fragments, and strand breaks in the DNA.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are lab tests on isolated human cells, not studies in living people. Results in a dish cannot show what happens when someone eats these preservatives.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Gazi University, Turkey
The paper
- Title
- The evaluation of the genotoxicity of two food preservatives: sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Zengin N, Yüzbaşıoğlu D, Unal F, Yılmaz S, Aksoy H (2011). The evaluation of the genotoxicity of two food preservatives: sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate. Food and chemical toxicology. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2010.11.040PubMed 21130826DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error