FDA Bans Brominated Vegetable Oil, Food Additive Used in Soda

On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will ban brominated vegetable oil (BVO), a food additive.

The ban will take effect on Aug. 2, 2024. BVO is a vegetable oil modified with bromine, a toxic gas.

“The agency concluded that the intended use of BVO in food is no longer considered safe after the results of studies conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found the potential for adverse health effects in humans,” the FDA wrote in its statement. “The FDA no longer allows for the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food,” a FDA spokesperson told The Epoch Times, adding that it is part of the agency’s regulatory process to reassess “previously evaluated food ingredients and addressing safety concerns.” Public advocacy against BVO has led major soda brands to phase out its use.

However, Dr Pepper/Seven Up’s Sun Drop still uses the food additive. It is also present in generic citrus sodas like Dollar Tree’s Stars & Stripes orange soda, Mountain Lightning and Orangette from Walmart, and Clover Valley from Dollar General. Several studies have suggested that BVO may harm the thyroid, liver, and heart and is linked to neurological problems.

Consuming BVO has been associated with an increased accumulation of bromine fatty acids. Excessive accumulation of these substances can result in bromine toxicity, which damages the central nervous system and causes headaches, nausea, memory loss, and poor coordi.