Benzoate: The Quantitation of Soft Drinks Implicated in Obesity

Research has shown that childhood obesity is a leading cause of diseases such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, and many more. With approximately 17 percent of the United States (U.S.) pediatric population being obese, and approximately 35 percent overweight, it is important to assess the possible causes of obesity. Current research studies have proposed that an increased exposure to xenobiotic chemicals can lead to an increased risk of obesity amongst children. Benzoic acid is a common xenobiotic chemical that is of particular concern. Benzoic acid is a preservative that is added to naturally acidic fruit juices and soft drinks in the form of sodium benzoate, the sodium salt of benzoic acid. The concentration of benzoate salt in these beverages is being quantitated in order to determine daily exposure levels experienced by obese patients. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method has been developed and validated for the quantitative analysis of benzoate salt found in various beverages. Using standard solutions, a correlation coefficient of 0.9999 was obtained over the measured calibration range of 0.0125 to 0.163 mg/mL. Samples classified as frequently consumed by overweight or obese children were obtained from local grocery stores, and were prepared by diluting each beverage sample in water proportionally to the concentration of benzoate salt present. The HPLC determination utilizes a phenyl hexyl column followed by UV detection at the absorption wavelength of 225 nm to confirm the presence of benzoic acid. All samples were filtered to remove particulate matter prior to the HPLC analysis. The method has been optimized to allow for the elution of sodium benzoate in less than 4 minutes. All validation requirements have been met, including an optimal flow rate and resolution, to ensure each peak was sufficiently separated, with minimal bandwidth, for accurate quantitation