Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Our Blog on December 30, 2024
Root beer is one of those craft beverages that is more mainstream than beer or mead. Anyone can drink it. Anyone can consume it. Chances are, you know a root beer enthusiast. It has a cult following, so to speak.
I, in fact, am one of said enthusiasts.
While I consider myself a connoisseur of sorts, beyond giving significant thought to the notion, I have not ventured into the brewing process myself. But I have done a bit of research.
One of the key ingredients found in traditional root beer is markedly absent in modern offerings.
What is it?
Sassafras.
But why?
First, let’s talk about the origins of said delicious drink and then we will get into the nitty gritty details.
As variations of the earthy, spicy drink vary from brewer to brewer, it is hard to pinpoint the true origins of root beer. But the transition from medicinal tonic to household soda has a fairly well-known start.
A pharmacist named Charles Elmer Hires and his wife were visiting a New Jersey lodge for their honeymoon. During their stay, Hires enjoyed a brew made by the innkeeper’s wife. He was blown away by the unique flavors in the drink. Upon returning home to Philadelphia, he got to work on making his own version.
Hires collaborated with area professors to develop an extract of his own making and began selling it in 1876. His version included juniper, sarsaparilla, vanilla beans along with other herbs and spices.
For 25 cents, you would get a powder packet that could be added to yeast, water, and sugar that would render five gallons of bubbly root beer.
And that was just the beginning.
By the end of the 1800’s Hires Root Beer Company was a household name. Many families began making their own special recipe, making it a following much like sweet tea is in the South.
Fast forward to modern day offerings and you will find a profitable conclusion.
Global root beer sales nearly totaled $940 million in 2023. By 2030 it is expected to grow another 5%. A feat that will launch it over to over a billion!
That is a lot of root beer floats!
One ingredient, however, nearly toppled the industry when it was banned.
Sassafras, the traditional ingredient that gave the beverage its signature sweet taste and spicy kick.
Native Americans discovered the medicinal use of sassafras long before early settlers came to the New World. Root bark taken from Sassafras albidum trees were distilled into a tincture used to treat all manner of ailments.
It was used on fevers, to treat rheumatism, relieve diarrhea, and so much more.
Extracts were even used as an additive for foods and drinks. Go figure!
The benefits observed from sassafras are largely due to the concentration of a compound called safrole present in the root. A compound later deemed harmful in laboratories studies using rats as test subjects.
The study came about after sassafras tea and its use as a popular food additive gained traction. Sassafras tea was discovered to contain high concentrations of safrole. About 4.5 times the permissible dose. After said studies found that safrole caused cancer in rats, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stepped in and prohibited companies from using the ingredients to make commercially produced root beer.
There are other reasons safrole is closely watched. For it is used in the production of an illegal drug known as MDMA, or more commonly called Ecstasy.
The signature flavor is irreplaceable. But alas, the show must go on.
Root beer producers have gotten creative in replacing sassafras with molasses, extracts from the Quillaia tree, and other trade secret concoctions. But none will replace the original flavor.
We can still try though. Especially when you consider these alternatives come with certain side effects.
Over time, sassafras root and bark can cause cancer and liver damage.
However, the acute effects are also significant. A single, large dose of 5 ml can kill an adult.
Side Effects of sassafras include:
While the FDA would argue that all sassafras use should be considered in moderation, some people should avoid the root altogether. Certain populations run the risk of serious, even life-threatening side effects.
Those who are pregnant should not consume sassafras or anything containing safrole. The risk of miscarriage or passing the effects through breast milk is significant.
A few drops of sassafras oil can be lethal in children. Children should not consume sassafras or safrole in any quantity.
Sassafras can slow down the central nervous system and contribute to drowsiness. Mix that with anesthesia and it can cause serious problems with the central nervous system. Avoid sassafras for at least two weeks prior to a planned surgery.
Those with urinary tract disorders should avoid sassafras and things that contain safrole. The compound may exacerbate symptoms of these disorders.
Those who are already taking sedatives should not take sassafras or consume anything containing safrole. Sassafras generally causes sleepiness. An effect potentially compounded by sedatives.
Many modern versions of classically made consumables have a safer twist than previous versions. For example, a certain red canned soda product once contained cocaine. It too was used for medicinal purposes.
Root beer is just another one of those situations.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “Modern Root Beer Lacks the Traditional Ingredient. What Is It and Why?,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)