Key Points:
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of brominated vegetable oil in foods and beverages due to safety concerns.
- Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) was previously allowed in small amounts to prevent citrus flavoring from separating in beverages.
- The FDA’s decision to ban BVO was based on studies showing adverse health effects associated with the ingredient.
Insight:
The ban on BVO will take effect on August 2, giving companies one year to remove the ingredient from their products.
While many popular soda brands have already phased out BVO, there are still around 600 food and beverage products that contain the ingredient.
Products like SunDrop and Orangette soda still contain BVO, but efforts are being made to reformulate these products.
Research has linked BVO to health issues such as hyperthyroidism and central nervous system damage.
California was the first state to ban BVO in 2023, with other states following suit to restrict the use of harmful food additives.