This year heralded the definitive prohibition of a substance that was once ubiquitous in citrus-flavored sodas, employed to maintain the uniform tanginess throughout the effervescent beverage.
The FDA revoked the authorization of brominated vegetable oil (BVO), a modified vegetable oil, following recent findings from toxicological studies.
“The proposed action exemplifies the agency’s vigilant monitoring of emerging evidence, coupled with scientific inquiry to address safety concerns, culminating in regulatory measures when existing data fail to support the continued safe utilization of food additives,” elucidated James Jones, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, during the announcement of the proposal in 2023.
BVO, which has functioned as an emulsifying agent since the 1930s, ensures the consistent dispersion of citrus flavoring agents, preventing them from ascending to the beverage’s surface. The incorporation of bromine atoms into a triglyceride yields an oil of greater density, thus achieving uniformity in emulsification.
However, BVO’s implications extend beyond mere emulsification. Animal studies suggest that the compound may gradually accumulate in adipose tissues, raising significant concerns about bromine’s potential interference with iodine’s critical role in thyroid function. Consequently, health authorities globally have harbored suspicions regarding the emulsifier’s safety for decades.
In fact, BVO had already been prohibited in numerous countries, including India, Japan, and across the European Union. It faced an impending ban in California, slated to take effect in 2027, following legislation passed in late 2022.
Despite its previous classification as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA in the 1950s, this assessment was reconsidered in the subsequent decade amidst growing toxicity concerns. The FDA ultimately limited its usage to a mere 15 parts per million specifically in citrus-flavored beverages.
Data substantiating the risks of even these minute quantities has been elusive, largely reliant on extensive long-term studies. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence, including a UK study from the 1970s indicating bromine accumulation in human tissues and subsequent animal studies revealing associations with cardiac and behavioral issues, propelled the FDA towards this ban.
Fortunately, major soda companies such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have proactively phased out BVO from their formulations over the past decade.
“As beverage manufacturers transitioned to alternative ingredients, the presence of BVO in American soda has diminished significantly,” communicated Jones.
With viable substitutes already in use worldwide to impart the characteristic zest to citrus beverages, the ingredient is unlikely to be missed.
An earlier version of this article was published in November 2023 and has since been updated to reflect the FDA’s decision in July 2024.
Vocabulary List:
- Prohibition /ˌproʊ.hɪˈbɪʃ.ən/ (noun): The act of forbidding something especially by law.
- Emulsifying /ɪˈmʌl.sɪ.faɪ.ɪŋ/ (verb): Mixing two or more unblendable liquids together often using a stabilizer.
- Toxicological /ˌtɒk.sɪ.ˈkɒl.ə.dʒɪ.kəl/ (adjective): Relating to the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms.
- Consequently /ˈkɒn.sɪ.kwənt.li/ (adverb): As a result; therefore.
- Accumulation /əˌkjuː.mjʊˈleɪ.ʃən/ (noun): The process of gathering or collecting something over time.
- Substantiating /səbˈstæn.ʃi.eɪ.tɪŋ/ (verb): Providing evidence to support or prove the truth of something.