FDA Proposes Ban on Ingredient in Citrus Sodas—What to Know About Brominated Vegetable Oil

Fact checked by Nick Blackmer

• Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is used as an additive most commonly found in citrus sodas to stabilize the flavor.

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently proposed a ban that would ban all BVO from food products in the United States, after research concluded it had “clear adverse effects” that could be potentially harmful to the thyroid, liver, and heart.

• If you’re concerned about the overconsumption of BVO, you can check the ingredient labels of your favorite products.

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is no longer considered safe, and should be banned as a food additive, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed earlier this month.

The vegetable oil—specifically formulated with bromine—was previously authorized by the FDA for use in some citrus-flavored beverages to keep the flavors from separating and floating to the top. Over the years, beverage makers have moved away from adding BVO to their products, and currently, very few U.S.-made drinks contain BVO.

The FDA’s proposal comes following the results of toxicology studies conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The studies, conducted in rats, determined that the ingredient could negatively impact the thyroid—they also suggest that there’s potential for adverse effects in humans, the FDA said.

In addition to the newly proposed FDA ban, BVO is also one of the four products California banned earlier this year in October, along with red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, and propylparaben.

Here’s what to know about BVO, why it might impact human health, and how to know if your favorite beverages contain the additive.

Brominated Vegetable Oil and Its Effects on Human Health

BVO is a type of vegetable oil that’s modified with bromine, a chemical element commonly used in agriculture, sanitation, and as a fire retardant.

As authorized, BVO is only allowed beverages in small amounts, not exceeding 15 parts per million—a limit decided upon in the late 1960s when BVO was taken off of the FDA’s “GRAS list,” which determines the ingredients “generally recognized as safe” to be included in foods and beverages.

Even then, there were concerns over BVO’s safety. “[The FDA] has been worried about BVO since 1970,” Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University, told Health.

One 1976 study found that consumption of BVO—specifically brominated sesame oil and brominated soybean oil—damaged the kidneys, livers, hearts, and testicles of pigs.

The most recent study builds on that evidence and further informed the FDA’s proposal.

“The FDA says recent studies in rats show it to be toxic to the thyroid,” said Nestle. “One worry is that bromine accumulates in the body and could do so at levels considered higher than safe for humans.”

For the study, researchers fed rats diets containing specific percentages of BVO by body weight and discovered that high BVO exposure can affect the thyroid, causing it to grow larger and produce more thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

But while data shows negative side effects in animals, there’s been no research conducted on humans.

“We have no human data that links BVO to adverse health effects, or it would have been off the market already,” Joanne Slavin, PhD, RD, a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, told Health.

Related: Daily Sugary Drinks May Increase Risk of Liver Cancer, Death From Chronic Liver Disease

What the Proposed BVO Ban Might Mean for You

Most major soda companies, like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola, no longer use BVO in their products, and the additive is not allowed in Europe or Japan—but there are still at least 90 products on the market that use BVO as an ingredient, with most of them being soda options, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Most of those products are from lesser-known brands or store brands and include sodas by Great Value, commonly sold at Walmart; and Sun Drop, made by Keurig Dr. Pepper.

“Very little BVO has been in the human diet even if you regularly consume citrus soda. Most of the brands have already removed it,” said Slavin. “So you can check your usual brand, but it is likely already removed.”

For now, consumers will have to wait for a final decision on the FDA’s proposed ban once it reviews public comments through January 17, 2024, after which, the agency will determine if they can issue a final ruling and ban BVO from products.

Still, if you are concerned about BVO in the beverages you’re drinking, Nestle said you can stop drinking citrus-flavored sodas with BVO—you’ll just have to look at the label to determine if it’s an additive in any of your favorite products. (You’ll be able to find the words “brominated vegetable oil” or “brominated soybean oil” on the label.)

“That will stop further accumulation,” said Nestle. “The FDA won’t put the ban into effect until 2025 so it [may be] a good idea to act now.”

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