Abstract
The use of benzoic acid and benzoates, food additives, are endorsed by the Notification of the
Ministry of Public Health No. 281. The permitted levels of benzoic acid and benzoates established in the
Notification should conform to international standards and protect consumer health. It needed to revise
the regulation according to the Codex General Standard for Food Additives (GSFA). Risk assessment tools
was employed for establishment of the maximum permitted use levels (MLs) to ensure consumers will
obtain appropriate level of health protection from over-consumption of benzoic acid. This study aimed to
assess the risk of dietary benzoic acid exposure in Thai population based on the MLs proposed in the
Codex food standard. The exposure was estimated by combining the MLs of benzoic acid in foods with
individual food consumption data received from the national food consumption surveys in 2004.
Probabilistic estimation was used to assess the exposure to benzoic acid at average and high consumption
levels. Risk was characterized by comparing the exposure with the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of benzoic
acid. ADI is a safe level for human exposure to the chemical over a lifetime. The study found that the
average benzoic acid exposure in Thai population exceeded the ADI (126% of ADI). The population aged
3-5.9 years and 6-18.9 years had average exposures at 226 and 153% of ADI, respectively. This indicated
that there was an appreciable health risk for children and adolescences at long term exposure when using
benzoic acid in all food groups according to the GSFA. Long term exposure to high level of benzoic acid
can effect on liver and kidney functions. High consumption of carbonated water-based flavored drinks at
97.5th percentile in population aged 3-5.9 years and 6-18.9 years provided high exposure at 144 and 96 %
of ADI, respectively. Thus, the MLs of benzoic acid proposed in this standard should be reduced in food
categories contributed high benzoic acid exposure in children and adolescences especially carbonated
water-based flavored drinks, bakery wares, processed fruits and vegetables.
