• Level of preservative alright for country’s climate
By Azoma Chikwe
The use of Benzoates which include benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium benzoate and calcium benzoate as food additives is internationaly acceptable. The World Health Organisation(WHO)/Food ane Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1997 adopted an Average Daily Intake (ADI) of 0.5mg/kg body weight for benzoates.
Food scientists said sodium benzoate is used globally as preservatives in drinks and scientifically established as safe.The CODEX Committee on Food Additives in 2004 adopted the maximum use level for sodium, potassium, calcium benzoates and benzoic acid at the level of 600ppm for category 14.1.4 which comprises water based drinks like Fanta, Coke, Sprite and others. This is the acceptable regulatory standard and serves as a global baseline.
Mr Oluwole Toye, Vice President, Nigeria Institute of Food Science and Technology(NIFST), said the European Union(EU) and United Kingdom(UK) adopted a lower level of 150ppm based on demographic study (high consumption rate and other considerations.).
In Nigeria, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), industry and other relevant stakeholders adopted 250 ppm level of these additives for this category of products. This level was a proactive action to cope with our environmental situation since these products are not thermally treated and hence require a level of acidity to keep them safe.
Codex committee
“In 2014,” the 48th session of the CODEX Committee on Food Additives lowered the maximum level for these additives in the stated food category from 600mg/kg as a result of an exposure estimate on benzoate conducted by JECFA (Joint Export Committee on Food Additives)
“The CODEX Committee of Food Additives is currently making a proposal to adopt 250mg/kg, or 200mg/kg or 150mg/kg. This decision will be taken by the 49th Session of the Committee holding in China from 20-24th March 2017.
“Sodium benzoate content in Fanta, Sprite etc. was within the specification of 250mg/litre maximum as shown in the laboratory analysis of the drinks in question. The Nigerian Industrial Standards NIS 377:1997 has specified 250mg/litre as maximum limit for benzoate in flavoured drinks containing ascorbic acid.
“NIS 377:1997 covers fruit drinks and flavoured drinks. Standards in Nigeria are statutorily set by Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON). Nigeria’s approval of 250mg/kg of these additives is within the internationally permitted maximum of 600mg/kg and it is reasonable within our climatic conditions. Therefore, the products are considered to be safe for consumption within Nigerian population,” he said.
Following the controversies trailing the court judgment in the case of Fijabi and others vs Nigeria Bottling Company over the safety of Benzoic preservatives in food and beverages in the country, NIFST, a professional association of Food Scientists and Technologists in Nigeria and an associate of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUOFST) as well as the West African Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (WAAFoST) with a membership of over 10,000 spread across the academia, industry, research, regulatory and administrative agencies has aligned the institute with the pronouncements of the Federal Ministry of Health.
NIFST stand
NIFST National President, Dr Dahiru Adamu, stated that it has become necessary to make clear NIFST professional stand on the subject matter and, in particular, as it relates to the recent controversy on the levels of benzoic preservative “contained in Fanta and Sprite respectively which controversy is centred on the perception that these products contain excessive levels of benzoic preservatives vis-à-vis the permissible limits in the UK and therefore are poisonous if consumed together with Vitamin C ( Ascorbic acid).
“The Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) stated its alignment with the public statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Health on 17th March, 2017 on the subject matter which clarified the issues and unequivocally confirmed the following incontrovertible facts : That benzoic acid is globally certified by the Codex Allimenentarius Commision (CODEX) as a safe preservatives used generally in food and beverage products around the world. That the Nigerian Industrial Standards for benzoic preservative for soft drinks is 250mg/kg and well within the international CODEX standard of 600mg/kg. That Nigeria and the UK, just like every other country, are at liberty to set their respective national standards referencing the CODEX standard and taking into consideration their peculiar environment and other realities. That the results of tests carried out on the NBC products in question (Fanta and Sprite) by the UK Custom authorities in 2007 and by the Nigeria’s National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in December 2016 showed that the products were in compliance with Nigeria’s regulatory standards for the benzoic levels and are therefore safe for human consumption.”
The Institute further stated its awareness as an informed stakeholder that the science of benzene formation from interaction between benzoic acid and ascorbic acid is based on the provision of specific conditions such as presence of ultra violet light and high temperature of about 60 degrees Celsuis, noting also that science is fact based and that there has not been any reported incidence that these two conditions are prevalent in the Nigerian environment. NIFST revealed that the science and technology of interactions of food additives within the food matrix being a dynamic and an evolving subject provides “us the opportunity for open discussions as well as more exploration in this regard.”
He added that “NIFST shall as a matter of priority set up a committee of experts to look at the future opportunities and trends with serious engagement of the stakeholders on food safety to find a sustainable solution including collaboration to and awareness programmes to avert the reoccurrence of the current needless controversy which does not reflect the sound principles upon which established science is based.”
Finally, NIFST appealed to the Federal Government and the National Assembly to fast track the passage of the bill for the establishment the Nigeria Council For Food Science and Technology which has been before the National Assembly since 2014 as this remains the only tool that can give strength to the professionals to adhere to and ensure good manufacturing practices and global best practices in realising food safety and wholesomeness.
Compliance
Toye said, “The Nigerian Bottling Company(NBC) Plc has complied with the Nigerian laid down regulation as far as the addition of preservatives is concerned. Those preservatives are certified and they are not poisonous. The reason the Institute has taken this stand is because Standards in Nigeria are formulated by SON and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC) enforces these standards.
“ As far as these two products in contention are concerned, the global standard is it should not be more than 600mg/kg. In the United Kingdom(UK), it is 150mg/kg,in Nigeria, It is 250mg/kg, in the United States(US) and Canada, it is 1000mg/kg. These standards are set depending on your environment and the conditions present in your environment. So, you are allowed to set your standard as far as it is within the Codex stipulation. The products are in conformity with with the Nigerian standards.
“To bring in food into Nigeria, the first step is to ensure that it conforms with our specifications. Step two is to give the standards of the experting country, it is only when these are done, that the product can be brought in. I don’t think the man who took those two products to UK, took these two steps.
“The problem we are having with our consumers is that they don’t understand why it is 250 here, 150 in UK. For instance, in the US, it is 1000. How will our consumers see that? Codex is mandated to set standards internationally, whether a nation is represented at the meeting or not. When SON want to set a standard, every stakeholder is invited.
“There are times when it is essential to insert a warning . In the case of benzoic acid, it is like asking salt or milk manufacturers to insert a warning, because it is not necessary. If you put benz oic acid and ascorbic acid in a test tube, nothing will happen. They will be there looking at each other. Except two conditions come to play, a temperature of about 60 per cent and ultra violet rays come in contact with the product, which is not likely, then benzene can be found. It is not easy to produce benzene. If you produce benzene in the lab, you cannot even stay there, you will run away when it hits your nose. Even if those two conditions are met, and there is the presence of sugar, benzene cannot formed. And one of the additivess of soft drinks is sugar. So, I wil say the possibility of soft drinks forming benzene is almost impossible.
“What needs to be done is create awareness down the value chain. Let the man on the street know some of these facts, let retailers know these facts, let consumers know these facts. Let the people be educated,” he said.