WTF is EDTA?!

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is an aminopolycarboxylic acid and a colorless, water-soluble solid. It's industrial uses include dissolving limescale and decreasing reactivity between certain metals. EDTA is mainly synthesized from ethylenediamine, formaldehyde, and sodium cyanide. EDTA is also used as a food preservative that serves to prevent discoloring oxidation and the formulation of a carcinogenic compound, benzene, in products such as soft drinks. I don't know if adding a carcinogenic to reduce the presence of a carcinogenic is a self-defeating concept or not, that would depend on the cost benefit analysis of the effects of both, you explore that knowledge for yourself, check out the MSDS sheet for benzene and the MSDS sheet for EDTA, which is surprisingly understudied for such a pervasive food additive.