Brominated Vegetable Oil Ban: A Triumph for Public Health and the Need for More Oversight in the Food Industry

On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked a regulation that allowed the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food due to safety concerns. BVO contains bromine, which is found in fire retardants, and has been used in some citrus-flavored drinks in the United States to maintain flavor distribution. The ban on BVO is set to take effect on August 2.

The FDA had first proposed the ban in November, following in the footsteps of countries like the U.K., India, the E.U., and Japan, which had already banned BVO. The FDA had previously concluded that BVO was not generally recognized as safe due to toxicity concerns in 1970, leading to the decision to regulate it as a food additive and conduct safety studies that ultimately resulted in the ban.

Some experts welcomed the FDA’s decision, calling it a victory for public health. Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, criticized the regulatory inaction that had allowed consumers to be exposed to this dangerous additive for years. Many beverage makers have already replaced BVO with alternative ingredients, and the FDA noted that few beverages in the U.S. currently contain BVO.

The ban on BVO highlights the need for more rigorous and timely oversight of food additives to protect consumer health. The FDA has provided more information on brominated vegetable oil for those seeking additional details.