On Tuesday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it is banning vegetable oil modified with bromine (BVO) effective August 2nd. BVO has largely been regulated out of food due to past laws from the FDA, but still remains in certain sodas and other products that use ingredients such as soybean oil to stabilize fruit flavors from floating to the top.
BVO has been used in products since the 1920s, but companies have long been prohibited from using it in large quantities, limited to 15 parts per million. Companies were mandated to list the ingredient as “brominated vegetable oil” or the oil in question, such as soybean oil. Even the FDA admits in their announcement that few products in the US contain BVO these days, as many have phased the ingredient out.
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“Health concerns about BVO stem from one of its ingredients, bromine. Bromine can irritate the skin, nose, mouth and stomach,” said dietitian Katherine Zeratsky in an interview with the Food Network last year. “It’s also been linked to neurologic symptoms in people who drink large quantities of citrus soda — more than 2 liters a day.”
According to experts, BVO leaves traces of bromine triglycerides in the liver, heart, brain, and body fat, which—in sizeable amounts—can cause bromine toxicity, potentially causing damage to the central nervous system.
The largest brand in the US to still stock goods with BVO is Sun Drop, made by Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP). A spokesperson of the company said they are “actively reformulating Sun Drop to no longer include this ingredient and will remain compliant with all state and federal regulations.”
Last year, California Governor Gavin Newsom banned BVO along with ingredients Red 3, propylparaben, and potassium bromate, effective 2027. New York legislators introduced similar bills, banning seven ingredients including BVO.
“The compliance date for this rule is one year after the effective date to provide the opportunity for companies to reformulate, relabel, and deplete the inventory of BVO-containing products before the FDA begins enforcing the final rule,” the FDA said.
Shane Devine is a writer covering politics and business for VT and a regular guest on The Unusual Suspects. Follow Shane’s work here.
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