Sorbic acid and benzoic acid intake in Taiwan diets
What it found
In a total diet study in Taiwan, sorbic acid intake stayed well below the acceptable daily intake for all age groups.
Benzoic acid intake was higher but still below the acceptable daily intake.
What they found
Studies in people
Sorbic acid intake
The highest sorbic acid intake was in boys and girls aged 3 to 6 years old at the 95th percentile. It reached 14.0% of the acceptable daily intake for boys and 12.2% for girls.
Benzoic acid intake
The highest benzoic acid intake was 54.1% of the acceptable daily intake for boys aged 1 to 2 years old at the 95th percentile. For women over 66 years old, it was 61.7% of the acceptable daily intake.
Overall intake
For all age groups, the amounts of sorbic acid and benzoic acid taken in were below the acceptable daily intake.
What the authors conclude
“These results indicate that the use of benzoic acid and sorbic acid as preservatives at the current level of use in the Taiwanese diet does not constitute a public health and safety concern.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that the use of benzoic acid and sorbic acid as preservatives at the current level of use in the Taiwanese diet does not constitute a public health and safety concern.
How it was done
The authors wanted to assess the health risk to general consumers in Taiwan from eating foods that contain benzoic acid and sorbic acid.
They carried out a total diet study in Taiwan and calculated the hazard index as a percentage of the acceptable daily intake for eight age groups.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This study looked at the amount of these preservatives in the diet at one point in time. It cannot show what might happen to health over many years.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- China Medical University, Taiwan R.O.C
The paper
- Title
- Dietary exposure estimates for the food preservatives benzoic acid and sorbic acid in the total diet in Taiwan
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Ling MP, Lien KW, Wu CH, Ni SP, Huang HY, Hsieh DP (2015). Dietary exposure estimates for the food preservatives benzoic acid and sorbic acid in the total diet in Taiwan. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. doi:10.1021/jf503987yPubMed 25633072DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error