The FDA has revoked the regulation allowing brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food. This oil is modified with bromine. He agency concluded that the intended use of BVO in food is no longer considered safe. A series of studies conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health found the potential for adverse human health effects from the use of brominated vegetable oil. The FDA announced plans to ban this product last year. And the state of California banned BVO along with other compounds before the FDA announced their decision. Brominated vegetable oil was removed from the Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) list in 1970. It was used in small amounts to keep the citrus flavoring from floating to the top in some beverages. Few beverages in the United States contain … [Read more...]
FDA Plans to Ban Brominated Vegetable Oil in Food
The FDA plans to ban the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food, after studies conducted with the National Institutes of Health found the product is potentially dangerous for human consumption. Brominated vegetable oil is a mixture of brominated triglycerides that are made by combining bromine with unsaturated vegetable oils. BVO is authorized for use in small amounts to keep citrus flavoring from separating and floating to the top of some beverages. The FDA took BVO off the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list in 1970 and began overseeing its use under food additive regulations. Many beverage makers have reformulated their products to replace BVO. Now, few beverages available in the United States contain BVO. Scientists found that the thyroid is a target organ of … [Read more...]
California Bans Red 3, Brominated Vegetable Oil, Other Additives
California bans Red 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, and propylparaben from being added to food because of possible adverse health effects. The governor signed the legislation on October 7, 2023. Industry has until 2027 to comply with this new law. The synthetic dye, Red 3, is made from petroleum. The law, Assembly Bill 418, makes California the first state in the country to ban the use of these additives in packaged foods. The FDA says they are safe to consume. Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) states that the FDA learned Red 3 was a carcinogen in the 1980s and declared it as a carcinogen in 1990. This 2012 article from The National Library of Medicine states that Red 3 causes cancer in animals. The FDA has eliminated the use of this food dye from … [Read more...]
