Brominated Vegetable Oils ( BVOs)
- FDA Ban on BVO: The FDA banned brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in early July 2024, effective August 2, 2024, due to potential adverse health effects.
- Health Risks: BVO can interfere with thyroid function, potentially causing hypothyroidism, weight gain, depression, and central nervous system damage.
- Products Containing BVO: Some sodas still contain BVO, including Sun Drop (Keurig Dr Pepper), Great Value Orangette orange soda (Walmart), Giant brand orange sodas, and HEB store-brand orange sodas.
- Major Brands: Major soda brands like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, including Mountain Dew and Gatorade, no longer use BVO.
- Identifying BVO in Drinks: Check the ingredient list for “brominated vegetable oil” or “brominated” oils. BVO is common in citrus-flavored, cloudy, and off-brand drinks.
- Global Bans: BVO has been banned in the UK (1970), EU (2008), India, and Japan.
- Reformulation Efforts: Companies are actively reformulating products to comply with the FDA ban.
The BVO ban will take effect in the U.S. on August 2, 2024.
The band does not specify the exact alternatives companies are using instead of BVO. However, in general, companies often use other stabilizers and emulsifiers such as sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB) or glycerol ester of wood rosin (GEWR) to replace BVO in beverages.
Resources:
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/brominated-vegetable-oil-bvo
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Brominated++Vegetable+Oils
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=brominated+flame+retardants
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