Sodium benzoate is an organic sodium salt resulting from the replacement of the proton from the carboxy group of benzoic acid by a sodium ion. It has a role as an antimicrobial food preservative, a drug allergen, an EC 1.13.11.33 (arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase) inhibitor, an EC 3.1.1.3 (triacylglycerol lipase) inhibitor, an algal metabolite, a human xenobiotic metabolite and a plant metabolite. It contains a benzoate.