Milly Gaines
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a food additive that has been used in soft drinks for decades. In 2013, a teenager from Mississippi started an online petition to stop the use of BVO in sports drinks, which gained over 200,000 signatures. Soon after, PepsiCo pledged to remove BVO from its drinks, including Mountain Dew and Gatorade. So, does Diet Pepsi still contain this controversial ingredient?
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What You'll Learn
- Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a toxic chemical that has been used as a food additive
- BVO is banned in Europe and Japan but is FDA-approved in the US
- BVO is used to keep natural flavouring oils well-blended in beverages
- BVO has been linked to health issues like skin irritation, fatigue, and impaired thyroid function
- Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have removed BVO from their products due to public pressure
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a toxic chemical that has been used as a food additive
BVO acts as an emulsifier, helping to keep ingredients from separating in sodas and other beverages. It is particularly useful in drinks that use citrus oils, as it prevents the oils from floating to the top of the drink. However, BVO has been linked to a variety of health problems, including nervous system issues, skin irritation, fatigue, loss of muscle coordination and memory, and impaired thyroid function. In 2013, a Mississippi teenager started an online petition to stop the use of BVO in sports drinks, which attracted over 200,000 supporters. As a result, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo announced in 2014 that they would remove BVO from their products.
Despite these announcements, reports from as recently as 2020 suggested that BVO was still being used in some drinks, such as Mountain Dew. However, more recent sources indicate that PepsiCo has since removed BVO from Mountain Dew and all of its other products. While the use of BVO in soft drinks has declined in recent years, it is important for consumers to check ingredient labels to ensure they are aware of what they are consuming.
The safety of BVO has been a concern for decades, with animal studies finding that it can cause various health issues. In 2023, a bill was signed into law in California prohibiting the use of BVO in foods, and the FDA has finalized a rule to ban BVO as a food ingredient in the US as of August 2024.
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BVO is banned in Europe and Japan but is FDA-approved in the US
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a food additive that is banned in Europe and Japan but is FDA-approved for use in small amounts in the US. BVO is an emulsifier used to keep natural flavouring oils well-blended in beverages, as oils do not mix well with water, which is the main ingredient in most drinks. BVO is usually derived from corn or soybean oil.
BVO has been linked to several health hazards, including harm to the nervous system, skin irritation, and neurologic symptoms in people who drink large quantities of citrus-flavoured soda. There are also concerns about the potential for bromine to build up in the body, as animal studies have shown that it accumulates in fat tissues. In 1970, the FDA removed BVO from its "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) list, but it did not revoke its authorization, instead limiting its use to small concentrations in citrus-flavoured drinks.
In recent years, major companies such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have removed BVO from their products due to consumer concerns and pressure from advocacy organizations. However, it is still found in some smaller store-brand soft drinks.
In 2023, the FDA proposed to revoke the regulation authorizing the use of BVO in food, stating that it is no longer considered safe due to the potential for adverse health effects. This proposal was based on studies conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that found potential health risks associated with the consumption of BVO. The FDA's decision is expected to have a nationwide impact in the US when it comes into effect.
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BVO is used to keep natural flavouring oils well-blended in beverages
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a food additive that has been used in dozens of soft drinks for decades. It is made by bonding vegetable oil to bromine. BVO is usually derived from corn or soybean oil.
BVO has been linked to several health hazards, including harm to the nervous system, skin irritation, and impaired thyroid function. It can also cause microscopic changes to heart cells and fatty changes in the liver. Due to these concerns, BVO has been banned in Europe and Japan, and companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have removed it from their products.
In 2013, a Mississippi teenager started an online petition to stop the use of BVO in sports drinks, which attracted over 200,000 supporters. This led to PepsiCo's decision to remove BVO from Gatorade and, later, from all of its products. Coca-Cola also announced the removal of BVO from all of its drinks by the end of 2014.
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BVO has been linked to health issues like skin irritation, fatigue, and impaired thyroid function
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a food additive that has been used in beverages to keep natural flavouring oils well-blended. It is made by bonding vegetable oil to bromine. While the FDA had approved the use of BVO in small amounts, it has been banned in Japan, Europe, and India due to health concerns.
BVO has been linked to several health issues, including skin irritation, fatigue, and impaired thyroid function. Firstly, in terms of skin irritation, Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian at the Mayo Clinic, states that bromine, an ingredient in BVO, can irritate the skin, nose, mouth, and stomach. Additionally, some people may experience skin irritation or rashes, as well as mucous membrane irritation, from consuming products containing BVO.
Secondly, fatigue has been associated with high levels of bromine, a component of BVO, known as bromism. Bromism is characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and memory loss. Chronic exposure to bromine can lead to this condition.
Thirdly, BVO has been linked to impaired thyroid function. Bromine competes with iodine in the body, which can interfere with thyroid function. This interference can lead to hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, resulting in fatigue, weight gain, and depression.
In addition to these health issues, BVO has also been associated with neurological symptoms, reproductive and developmental issues, and heart and liver problems. As a result of these concerns, companies such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have removed BVO from their products, and the FDA has proposed a ban on its use in food and beverages.
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Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have removed BVO from their products due to public pressure
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a chemical compound derived from bonding vegetable oil to bromine. It is used as an additive in soft drinks to prevent ingredients from separating. BVO has been linked to several health problems, including skin and nerve issues, memory loss, and impaired thyroid function.
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, two of the world's largest beverage companies, have faced public pressure to remove BVO from their products. In 2013, a 15-year-old girl from Mississippi, Sarah Kavanagh, started an online petition on Change.org to remove BVO from sports drinks, citing health concerns. The petition garnered over 200,000 signatures and attracted significant media attention.
In response to the growing public pressure, both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo announced in 2014 that they would remove BVO from all their drinks. Coca-Cola stated that the decision was made to be consistent with the ingredients used worldwide. PepsiCo, on the other hand, initially denied that the change was related to health issues, claiming that they were simply hearing customer feedback who wanted BVO out of their drinks. However, by early 2020, PepsiCo confirmed that they no longer use BVO in any of their products.
The removal of BVO from Coca-Cola and PepsiCo products reflects a larger trend of companies re-evaluating their practices due to public pressure. While the safety of BVO has been debated, with companies insisting that their products are safe, the public's growing awareness of the potential health risks associated with BVO has led to its removal from some of the most popular soft drinks worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Diet Pepsi does not contain Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO). In 2014, PepsiCo announced that it would remove BVO from all its products, including Gatorade and Mountain Dew.
Brominated Vegetable Oil is an ingredient used in sodas and beverages to keep flavour oils in suspension and prevent separation. It is made by bonding vegetable oil to bromine, which can irritate the skin, nose, mouth and stomach.
BVO has been linked to several health hazards, including harm to the nervous system, skin irritation, fatigue, impaired thyroid function, and in some cases, hospitalisation. It can also lead to a buildup of bromine in breast milk and blood. However, some experts argue that drinking in moderation (a can a day) is unlikely to cause harm.
BVO is banned in Japan, Europe, and California. In 2024, the FDA banned the use of BVO as a food ingredient in products sold across the US. However, the FDA continues to approve its use in small amounts, and it can still be found in some generic, local, and store-brand sodas.
Other emulsifiers like sucrose acetate isobutyrate or glycerol ester of rosin can be used instead of BVO. However, the potential health impacts of these alternatives are not yet fully understood.
