Re: Microbrite Antioxidant Tooth Powder

I just read a list of the ingredients of Microbrite and it contains potassium benzoate, a preservative. I'm not sure if that's good for you. I'm going to keep reading around before I decide to use it. It has a lot of good ingredients, and maybe the amount of potassium benzoate is so small that it's not harmful. Anyone know anything about this?

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From Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_benzoate
Potassium benzoate, the potassium salt of benzoic acid , is a food preservative that inhibits the growth of mold, yeast and some bacteria. It works best in low-pH products, below 4.5, where it exists as benzoic acid .

Acidic foods and beverages such as fruit juice ( citric acid ), sparkling drinks (carbonic acid), soft drinks (phosphoric acid), and pickles (vinegar) are preserved with potassium benzoate.

It is approved for use in most countries including Canada, the U.S., and the EU, where it is designated by the E number E212. In the EU, it is not recommended for consumption by children.[1]

The mechanism of food preservation begins with the absorption of benzoic acid into the cell. If the intracellular pH changes to 5 or lower, the anaerobic fermentation of glucose through phosphorfructokinase is decreased by 95%.[2]

Safety and health

Main article: benzene in soft drinks
In combination with ascorbic acid (vitamin C), sodium and potassium benzoate may form benzene, a known carcinogen. Heat, light and shelf life can affect the rate benzene is formed. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently (as of March 2006) performing tests, but the Environmental Working Group is calling for FDA to publicly release all tests and use their authority to force companies to reformulate to avoid the potential benzene forming combination.[3]