If the very politically- and fundamentalist-christian-connected
(Republican Party-controlled) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says
something's safe, you can bet it means that 'something' is:

a) Safe for business investment, or

b) Unacceptable for birth control.

Yoou can take comfort in knowing that the FDA has no problem with a
little benzene in your Pepsi or 7Up.

===
FINDINGS
The Washington Post
Wednesday, March 29, 2006; Page A10

"FDA: No Concerns on Benzene in Soft Drinks"

No safety concerns have arisen from tests for the cancer-causing
chemical benzene in soft drinks, the Food and Drug Administration said
Tuesday, but it did not disclose its findings. The FDA started testing
soft drinks after a private study in November found small amounts of
benzene in some.

In the vast majority of drinks sampled, benzene was not found or was
present at levels below the federal limit for drinking water, it said.

"Although the results to date are preliminary, they do not suggest a
safety concern," Robert E. Brackett, director of the Center for Food
Safety and Applied Nutrition, wrote in a letter released Tuesday.

A "very, very few samples" had slightly elevated levels of benzene,
said Laura Tarantino, the agency's director of food additive safety.

The letter was a pointed retort to an environmental group that is
calling for benzene warnings on soft drinks.

The Environmental Working Group asked the FDA to warn the public about
soft drinks containing two ingredients that can form benzene. The
ingredients are ascorbic acid and benzoate preservatives, also known as
vitamin C and sodium or potassium benzoate.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...032802018.html