Assessment of a sub-chronic consumption of sodium benzoate (E211) on male reproductive functions in Swiss mice

Sodium benzoate (SB) is a commonly used as a chemical food preservative. Studies on the influence of benzoates on reproductive patterns are very rare in the scientific literature. The present study investigates the effect of sub-chronic consumption of sodium benzoate on male reproductive function in Swiss mice. Thirty Swiss male mice were randomly divided into five groups of 6 mice each. Control group was given drinking water, and treated groups were given sodium benzoate at doses of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1%. After 13 weeks, we observed a significantly decrease body weight gain, sperm count, sperm motility, normal morphological sperm and serum testosterone levels as well as a significantly increased relative testes weight and impaired testes histology in 0.5 and 1% sodium benzoate treated groups. These findings suggest that excessive consumption of sodium benzoate induces impair spermatogenesis and sperm quality which affects the reproductive performance of male Swiss mice.