You may have never heard of benzoic acid. White, odorless and tasteless, it became the preservative of choice around 1900 for many U.S. ketchup producers. By 1910, it is estimated that sodium benzoate (benzoic acid’s salt) was an ingredient in $60 million worth of food products produced in the U.S.
But as usage of sodium benzoate increased, a debate was raging over whether it was safe for human consumption. In 1901, the National Association of State Dairy and Food Departments debated the use of benzoates in packaged food, especially ketchup.
Ketchup producers vigorously argued that their wares needed a preservative to prevent spoilage shortly after opening the bottle.
Ultimately, the NASDFD reached a general consensus that one-twelfth of 1% sodium benzoate should be the standard, which a number of ketchup manufacturers approved.
However, that was not the end of the debate. USDA chemist Harvey Wiley fiercely opposed the use of sodium benzoate. In 1904, Wiley recruited a dozen young men to ingest increasing amounts of either sodium benzoate or benzoic acid over a month. Only three finished the trial. The others became so sick they couldn’t continue; issues included inflamed throats, dizziness, stomach pain and weight loss.
Those opposing Wiley’s trial claimed it was nothing but tomfoolery because he gave the men benzoate in levels far exceeding that one-twelfth of 1% standard.
Wiley went public with the trial in 1908, claiming sodium benzoate not only unsafe but charging ketchup makers used the preservative to hide inferior products. The H. J. Heinz Company became a supporter of Wiley’s research, launching a national advertising campaign against preservatives.
Still, in 1909 USDA gave sodium benzoate a seal of approval, which was almost immediately rejected by the Buffalo Medical Journal. Hokey Pokey anyone?
You must be wondering where all this is going. The debate over sodium benzoate last century occurred because there weren’t national governmental standards defining a food product’s ingredient composition and processing requirements.
That all changed in 1939, when the Food and Drug Administration created Standards of Identity for food as part of the 1938 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Up first were tomato products including canned tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree. The new national standards did not include sodium benzoate as an approved ingredient.
Which set off a food fight in the courts during which the SOI’s prohibition of sodium benzoate was eventually upheld.
Ketchup producers modified their recipes, often opting to replace unripened tomatoes with ripened tomatoes and adding sugar and vinegar.
Today there are roughly 250 food Standards of Identity in the U.S. covering an array of products primarily including dairy, baked goods and canned fruit and vegetables.
The FDA doesn’t often decide to eliminate or modify an SOI. In 2022, the FDA canceled the SOI for french dressing. Last year, it ended the SOI for frozen cherry pie.
But now the FDA wants to turn up its standards elimination dial to 11. In July, it proposed revoking 52 SOI’s in one huge swoop.
Fifty-two. Roughly a fifth of all SOI’s in the U.S.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a statement:
“The FDA’s Standards of Identity efforts have helped ensure uniformity, boost consumer confidence, and prevent food fraud. But many of these standards have outlived their usefulness and may even stifle innovation in making food easier to produce or providing consumers healthier choices. Antiquated food standards are no longer serving to protect consumers. It is common sense to revoke them and move to a more judicious use of food standards and agency resources.”
When first hearing that number, I wondered if there was anything on the list that might set off a sodium benzoate type debate. But nothing the FDA is proposing is ringing any alarm bells. In fact, elimination of SOI’s in the dairy industry may be especially helpful to cheese manufactures who find themselves boxed in by rigid specifications.
Ultimately, the FDA says it wants to review each and every SOI on the books in the U.S. Perhaps there will be opposition ahead. Perhaps the FDA has strategically plucked the low hanging fruit for the first round of SOI eliminations — the list is pretty non-controversial. By direct rule, FDA eliminated 11 SOIs for vegetables and canned fruits no longer sold in grocery stores.
Revoking SOIs that are no longer necessary or relevant makes sense. But I’ve got to think some of the remaining SOIs still must be important for food safety and consumer protection. If so, I would expect food safety advocates to make their voices heard should the FDA recommend their removal. One would hope.
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