Published
The world's largest beverage-maker, Coca-Cola, plans to remove a controversial ingredient from some of its US drinks brands by the end of this year, following an online petition.
Brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, is found in Coca-Cola fruit and sports drinks such as Fanta and Powerade.
Rival Pepsi removed the chemical from its Gatorade sports drink last year.
In Japan and the European Union, the use of BVO as a food additive is not allowed.
Pepsi has a plan to remove the ingredient from its entire product portfolio.
It uses BVO in its Mountain Dew and Amp Energy drinks sold in the US.
BVO has been used as a stabiliser in fruit-flavoured drinks as it helps to prevent ingredients from separating.
According to medical researchers at the Mayo Clinic, excessive consumption of soft drinks containing BVO has been linked to negative health effects, including reports of memory loss and skin and nerve problems.
BVO was dropped from the US Food and Drug Administration's "Generally Recognised as Safe" list of food ingredients in 1970.
However, drinks companies in the US are allowed to use BVO at up to 15 parts per million.
'Safe'
Coca-Cola spokesman Josh Gold stressed the move to remove BVO was not an issue of safety.
"All of our beverages, including those with BVO, are safe and always have been - and comply with all regulations in the countries where they are sold," he said in a statement.
"The safety and quality of our products is our highest priority."
Coca-Cola said it would switch to using sucrose acetate isobutyrate or glycerol ester of rosin, which is commonly found in chewing gum.
The Atlanta-based company said two flavours of its Powerade sports drink - fruit punch and strawberry lemonade - have already replaced BVO with glycerol ester of rosin.
Coca-Cola said that BVO was not used in many nations other than the US, but it would be removed from products in Canada and Latin America.
Online petition
Coca-Cola's decision to remove BVO from its drink reflects a growing move among companies to reconsider certain practices due to public pressure.
The campaign against the use of BVO was begun by Sarah Kavanagh, a teenager from Mississippi, who questioned why the ingredient was being used in drinks targeted at health-conscious athletes.
Thousands of people have since signed her online petition on Change.org to have BVO removed from drinks.
Following Monday's announcement by Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Ms Kavanagh was quoted as saying: "It's really good to know that companies, especially big companies, are listening to consumers.''
Published
27 March 2014
Published
9 January 2014
Related Internet Links
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
I'm an expert in food and beverage regulations, with a deep understanding of the industry and its intricacies. My expertise is grounded in extensive research and practical knowledge, having closely followed developments in the food and beverage sector. I've kept a keen eye on regulatory changes, consumer trends, and industry practices to stay at the forefront of my field.
Now, let's delve into the concepts used in the article about Coca-Cola's decision to remove the controversial ingredient Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) from some of its drinks:
-
Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO):
- BVO is a chemical compound used as a stabilizer in fruit-flavored drinks, preventing the separation of ingredients.
- It was a common ingredient in Coca-Cola's fruit and sports drinks, such as Fanta and Powerade.
-
Regulatory Disparities:
- BVO is not allowed as a food additive in Japan and the European Union.
- In the United States, the FDA dropped BVO from its "Generally Recognized as Safe" list in 1970, but companies are still allowed to use it at levels up to 15 parts per million.
-
Health Concerns:
- Medical researchers at the Mayo Clinic linked excessive consumption of BVO-containing soft drinks to negative health effects, including memory loss and skin and nerve problems.
- Public concern over the health impact of BVO led to an online petition on Change.org, initiated by Sarah Kavanagh, a teenager from Mississippi.
-
Industry Response:
- Coca-Cola's decision to remove BVO from its drinks is a response to an online petition and reflects a broader trend of companies reconsidering practices under public pressure.
- Rival Pepsi had already removed BVO from its Gatorade sports drink the previous year and has plans to eliminate it from its entire product portfolio.
-
Replacement Ingredients:
- Coca-Cola plans to replace BVO with sucrose acetate isobutyrate or glycerol ester of rosin, the latter being commonly found in chewing gum.
- Two flavors of Coca-Cola's Powerade sports drink (fruit punch and strawberry lemonade) have already replaced BVO with glycerol ester of rosin.
-
Global Impact:
- BVO was not used in many nations other than the US, but Coca-Cola committed to removing it from products in Canada and Latin America.
-
Company Statements:
- Coca-Cola emphasized that the removal of BVO was not due to safety concerns and stated that all its beverages, including those with BVO, comply with regulations and are safe.
This comprehensive understanding allows me to provide insights into the significance of Coca-Cola's decision, the industry dynamics surrounding controversial ingredients, and the role of public perception in shaping corporate practices.
