First of all…
We only use pure, fresh aloe juice, so it has the maximum active ingredient, which is very rare on the market! (Aloe juices not made this way will never mention that they are made from powder.)
Message from our biologist
Why use potassium benzoate?
The use of preservatives in your liquid products is necessary because they are not pasteurized. In the particular case of aloe vera, the manufacturing process is cold from A to Z. That is, there is no heating, either at the raw material level or during the manufacturing of the finished product. We want to preserve the enzymes naturally contained in aloe vera because they are part of the active elements of this plant. These enzymes would be destroyed by heating.
Harmful or not?
It is false that benzene is formed by the presence of vitamin C in products containing sodium benzoate. The conditions necessary to produce it are in fact extreme. (Temperature and/or pH and/or atmospheric pressure). Therefore, it is unrealistic to reproduce under normal conditions. It is a shame that we find so many articles on the internet that misinform the public...
We've done numerous lab tests and have never found any. We actually have a liquid vitamin C supplement that contains sorbate and benzoate and we've never found any even after several years in the product.
Below you will find links to two very serious studies on sodium benzoate. The second link is really comprehensive on the subject.
In the literature, it is estimated that in cases where traces of benzene are found, this would come from environmental pollution and not from a chemical reaction with sodium benzoate. It should also be noted that when dissolved in a liquid product, sodium benzoate becomes benzoic acid. Benzoic acid is naturally found in several plants. In addition, sodium benzoate has a complementary action to potassium sorbate. Benzoate acts more on yeasts and molds and sorbate more on bacteria. There is no effective replacement option available. We have conducted several tests on this subject in the past and they have always been inconclusive.
Report of the European Commission
World Health Organization report
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