K A S H R U T . C O M_©

July 4, 2024 from the Food Ingredients First:

"The US FDA has revoked authorization for using brominated vegetable oil in beverages after an updated assessment finds the chemical has the “potential for adverse health effects in humans.” The new ruling will come into force on August 2, 2024, after decades of what some believe has been “inaction” on BVO.

"BVO — a vegetable oil that is modified with bromine and has been used as a food ingredient since the 1920s — can be used as a stabilizer in citrus-flavored beverages, particularly to keep the citrus flavoring from floating to the top. It is also found in some sodas.

"The FDA previously authorized its use in small amounts of 15 parts per million or lower. But a new ruling by the agency highlights how the FDA no longer allows for the use of BVO in food with the agency revoking its food additive regulation on July 3."