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Abstract
This study evaluated the dietary exposure of secondary school students in Hong Kong to benzoic acid from pre-packaged non-alcoholic beverages. Exposure was estimated using local food consumption data of secondary school students obtained by a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in 2000 and the benzoic acid level detected in pre-packaged beverages, including soft drink (both diet/light and regular types), fruit juice, soy milk, Chinese tea and coffee/tea) available locally in late 2006. The estimated dietary exposure to benzoic acid from pre-packaged beverages of average and high consumers (95th percentile) was 0.31 and 0.97 mg kg−1 bw day−1, respectively. These exposures accounted for 6.1 and 19.3% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI: 0–5 mg kg−1 bw) of benzoic acid for average and high consumers, respectively. As in other countries, soft drinks contributed most to dietary exposure to benzoic acid from pre-packaged beverages in Hong Kong.