The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to revoke its regulation authorising the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) as an additive in food – which is already banned in Japan and Europe.
This follows a ban in California of the ingredient in October, when it passed the California Food Safety Act, the first state law in the US to ban brominated vegetable oil, reports CNN.
“The agency concluded that the intended use of BVO in food is no longer considered safe after studies done in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health … found the potential for adverse health effects in humans,” said James Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods.
Brominated vegetable oil – vegetable oil modified by bromine, a pungent, deep red oily chemical – is used as an emulsifier in citrus-flavoured beverages to keep the flavouring from separating and floating to the top. Bromine is also commonly used in flame retardants.
It’s possible that dozens of products, mostly cold drinks, use brominated vegetable oil as an ingredient, says the Eat Well Guide by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit research and advocacy group that focuses on consumer health, toxic chemicals and pollutants.
Brominated vegetable oil has been linked to health hazards that include nervous system damage, headaches, skin and mucous membrane irritation, fatigue, and loss of muscle coordination and memory. The ingredient can also accumulate in the body over time.
A final decision is yet to come in the US, after receipt of public comment until 17 January, and a review process.
CNN article – FDA proposes ban on potentially harmful ingredient found in some sodas (Open access)
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