The Food and Drug Administration is revoking the rule that allowed brominated vegetable oil in food. Due to the chemical’s health hazards such as harmful effects on the nervous system, the agency said the food additive is no longer safe for food use.
Brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, is a stabilizer used in many sodas and fruit-flavored drinks that prevents the ingredients from separating.
“The FDA’s decision to ban brominated vegetable oil in food is a victory for public health,” Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), said. “But it’s disgraceful that it took decades of regulatory inaction to protect consumers from this dangerous chemical.”
Faber said that Americans have continued to consume a chemical banned in Europe and Japan for years.
“The FDA’s belated action on BVO underscores the urgent need for more rigorous and timely oversight of food additives,” Faber said.
Some harmful health effects of long-term ingestion of BVO-containing sodas include problems such as headaches, irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, fatigue and loss of muscle coordination and memory, research shows.
According to EWG, BVO was “generally recognized as safe” by the FDA, but that categorization was removed in 1970 and the agency ruled that BVO could be used “on an interim basis” in limited quantities. Some states decided to put their own laws in place in lieu of federal action.
“While the FDA’s announcement is a step forward, allowing BVO to remain in foods for so long despite clear evidence of harm highlights a glaring failure in our food safety system,” Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), author of California legislation that banned BVO from food, said. “The FDA must act quickly to expedite its reviews and do more to remove harmful and toxic chemicals from our food supply.”
In the current market, PepsiCo confirmed in early 2020 that none of its products contain the chemical, while Coca-Cola also announced it removed BVO from all its beverages, EWG reported.
“As the author of the law banning brominated vegetable oil from foods sold in California, I am pleased to see the FDA finally taking action on this harmful chemical,” Gabriel said. “This decision aligns with California’s commitment to protecting children and families, and sets a national standard that will benefit all Americans.”
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