Sodium and potassium benzoate tested on human cells
What it found
In lab tests on human white blood cells, both sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate caused chromosome damage and other cell changes.
Sodium benzoate also damaged DNA, while potassium benzoate did not.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Chromosome damage
Both sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate increased chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges, and micronuclei in almost all treatments compared to negative controls. These are signs of damage to genetic material in the cells.
Cell division slowed
Both additives significantly lowered the mitotic index in all treatments compared to negative controls. This means fewer cells were dividing.
DNA damage
Sodium benzoate significantly increased DNA damage in the comet assay. Potassium benzoate did not cause a significant increase in DNA damage.
Replication index unchanged
Neither additive affected the replication index. This measure of how cells copy their DNA stayed the same.
What the authors conclude
“The present results indicate that SB and PB are clastogenic, mutagenic and cytotoxic to human lymphocytes in vitro.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate are clastogenic, mutagenic and cytotoxic to human lymphocytes in vitro.
How it was done
They grew human white blood cells in the lab and exposed them to different amounts of sodium benzoate (6.25 to 100 μg/ml) and potassium benzoate (62.5 to 1000 μg/ml). They then looked for chromosome breaks, sister chromatid exchanges, micronuclei, and DNA damage.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are lab tests on cells grown outside the body. They can't show what happens in people who eat these preservatives.
- The study did not test whether the cells could repair the damage or what long-term effects might be.
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 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error