A critical review on sodium benzoate from health effects to analytical methods

Sodium benzoate (SB) is a salt of benzoic acid that is highly soluble in water, bland, and unscented. It is produced by mixing benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide. Sodium benzoate does not exist organically, yet when combined with water, it creates benzoic acid, which exists natively in particular crops. Because of its antifungal and antibacterial effects, it is used as a food preservative at tightly controlled dosages. Though some research suggests that sodium benzoate is effective in helping alleviate depression, pain, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, and neurodegenerative illnesses, others claim that it is hazardous. It has been shown to produce mutagenesis consequences, oxidative stress, hormone disruption, and decreased fertility. In recent years, there have been worries regarding the growing use of this chemical as a preservative in meals, particularly processed foods. Due to the large number of reports regarding the harmfulness of food additives like sodium benzoate, more and more researchers are increasingly looking for techniques to quantify the quantity of this molecule utilized in foods. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV and LC-MS/MS) methods are two examples of instrumental analytical methods that have been developed and validated for quantitative analyses of sodium benzoate in foods and beverages. Obviously, there are numerous other approaches to analyzing these materials. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively discuss the safety profile of sodium benzoate and its potential usefulness, as well as the hazardous effects. Furthermore, we have discussed the ways of determining the quantity and identity of this component in food.