Vegetable oil is modified with bromine, a naturally occurring chemical that can be used as an alternative to chlorine in swimming pools and is often used as a fire retardant. It is also used in sedatives.
BVO is an ingredient in some beverages
BVO is an ingredient in a small number of sports drinks and sodas, but according to the FDA, “today, few beverages in the US contain BVO.” Sugary soda consumption in the United States has also been declining for more than two decades. Perhaps the most popular beverage in the United States that still contains BVO is Sun Drop citrus soda, as well as several store brands. orange, pineapple and citrus flavored sodas from Giant, Food Lion, Walmart and others.
The popular drink Mountain Dew does not contain BVO. In 2014, Coca-Cola said it would remove the ingredient from its Powerade drinks and the rest of its products. PepsiCo has also removed BVO from its products, including Gatorade since 2019.
Keurig Dr Pepper, the maker of Sun Drop soda, which has a mix of lemon, lime and sweet orange flavors, told the Washington Post last year that it was already planning to phase out the ingredient. “We have actively reformulated Sun Drop to no longer include this ingredient and will remain compliant with all state and national regulations,” a spokesperson previously said. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“FDA’s decision to ban brominated vegetable oil in food is a victory for public health,” Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, said in a statement. “But it’s a shame it took decades of regulatory inaction to protect consumers from this dangerous chemical.”
The D.C.-based nonprofit urged consumers to “remain vigilant and read ingredient labels carefully to avoid BVO.” He added that “choosing fresh foods and drinking water instead of soda or juice can help minimize exposure to BVOs and other chemicals.”
BVO is banned in some countries
The state of California banned BVO in food in October, along with three other food additives, becoming the first state to do so. BVO is also banned in the European Union, India and the United Kingdom, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group.
BVO can leave “residues of brominated triglycerides in body fat and fat in the liver, heart, and brain,” according to the CSPI.. ““Excessive accumulation of bromine in the body results in bromine toxicity, which causes damage to the central nervous system, headaches, nausea, memory loss and loss of coordination,” the report states. It may also have an impact on the thyroid, he added.
BVO has been used as a food ingredient since the 1920s. The FDA said it began regulating BVO as a food additive in 1970. It “was used in small amounts to keep the citrus flavor floating on top in some beverages,” the agency said, and manufacturers were required to list BVOs in ingredients. list if used.
“Reevaluating the safety of food ingredients as new, relevant data becomes available is a priority for FDA and a key part of our food safety mission,” she said this week.
The ban will take effect Aug. 2, and companies will be given a year to “reformulate, relabel, and deplete the inventory of products containing BVOs before the FDA begins implementing the final rule,” he said.