USA – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially revoked a law allowing the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in beverages, effective August 2, 2024.
This decision follows a series of studies indicating potential adverse health effects associated with BVO.
Manufacturers have been given a one-year grace period to reformulate, relabel, and deplete their inventories of BVO-containing products before the FDA begins enforcing the ban.
Historically, BVO has been used in the US as a stabilizer in fruit-flavored drinks to prevent citrus flavoring from separating, allowed in amounts not exceeding 15 parts per million (ppm) in the finished drink.
The FDA’s move comes after extensive research by both the agency and the National Institute of Health.
These studies revealed potential health risks linked to BVO, including thyroid toxicity and bioaccumulation, which is the build-up of pollutants in the food chain.
A 2022 study on rodents specifically showed that oral exposure to BVO increased the risk of thyroid toxicity.
BVO has been a controversial food additive in the US since its introduction in the 1920s. Concerns over its safety emerged in the 1960s, prompting the FDA to limit its use to 15 ppm in finished products.
Despite further animal tests in the 1970s raising fears about its impact on the heart, the data did not indicate an immediate health threat from the limited use of BVO in beverages. However, it also failed to establish a safe level for lifetime consumption.
While the FDA had permitted the use of BVO in small quantities, many beverage makers have preemptively reformulated their products to eliminate the additive.
Notably, PepsiCo removed BVO from its Gatorade sports drinks in 2013, and Coca-Cola pledged to eliminate it from its global portfolio the following year.
The FDA’s decision aligns the US with other regions, including the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, where BVO is already banned in food and drinks.
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