Determination of benzene in beverages by headspace gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry

ANYL 76

Patricia J. Nyman, pjn@cfsan.fda.gov, Timothy P. McNeal, Timothy.McNeal@cfsan.fda.gov, Gregory W. Diachenko, and Gracia A. Perfetti. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Parkway, HFS-245, College Park, MD 20740
In November 2005, FDA received private laboratory results reporting low levels of benzene in a few beverages. Benzene is a human carcinogen that can form at low parts per billion levels in some beverages containing both benzoate salts and ascorbic or erythorbic acids. Through a series of reactions, a hydroxy radical forms that can decarboxylate benzoate to benzene. Elevated temperatures and light stimulate these reactions, while sugar and EDTA salts can inhibit them.

As a follow-up to the November 2005 benzene findings, FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition developed a headspace gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method for the determination of benzene in beverages. The method was used to conduct a limited survey that focused on beverages containing both benzoate salts and ascorbic or erythorbic acid. The vast majority of beverages sampled contained either no detectable benzene or levels below the US EPA's 5 ppb limit for drinking water.

 

General Papers
7:00 PM-9:00 PM, Sunday, 10 September 2006 Moscone Center -- Hall D, Poster

Division of Analytical Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006