Flame retardant chemical found in energy/soft drinks in Canada
Pepsico and Coca-cola each have no plans to remove additive
Major soft drink-makers and Health Canada say the use of brominated vegetable oil in Canadian beverages is safe, despite a growing movement elsewhere to ban its use.
The additive, which is used to cloud and stop separation in some drinks, has been banned in most of Europe for decades and Japan recently discontinued its use. However, BVO continues to be used in popular drinks sold in Canada, including some flavours of Gatorade, Powerade, Fresca, Mountain Dew and Amp Energy Drink.
In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the additive has come under scrutiny this month after Mississippi teenager Sarah Kavanagh started a petition demanding that PepsiCo stop using the ingredient in Gatorade.
She wrote on change.org, a petition-hosting website, that she was prompted to take up the cause after Googling the ingredient found on her Gatorade label.
“There is enough information out there that entire countries have banned this chemical product,” Kavanagh wrote on her petition, which has more than 198,000 online supporters.
Kavanagh’s petition includes Canadians.
After consuming several drinks daily containing BVO, some people have reported symptoms including loss of muscle coordination, memory loss, headache and fatigue, according to a study published this summer by the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
BVO is classified as a food additive, but there is limited knowledge of its composition, the researchers found. It does contain bromine, which is also in flame retardants and has been found to build up in body lipids.
Health Canada spokesman Sean Upton said there are no health risks associated with BVO when the density-adjusting agent is used according to regulations, which sets out that15 parts per million can be used in citrus or spruce-flavoured beverages as consumed.
“Health Canada is not currently reconsidering the approval of brominated vegetable oil,” Upton said in an email. “However, Health Canada continually monitors the scientific literature to identify new results of studies relevant to the safety of food additives.”
If a risk is evaluated for an additive, the department will take action appropriate for the level of risk, Upton said.
BVO was used in Canada prior to the creation of Health Canada’s additive table in 1964. It was formally added to the table with its current restrictions in the late 1960s or 1970s, Upton said.
The soft drink ingredient was first used in 1931 and is derived from soybean oil to stabilize flavour oils, according to Pepsi’s website.
Dave DeCecco, PepsiCo North America’s vice president of communications, said all of the company’s products are safe and ingredients are constantly evaluated to make sure they meet regulations.
In Canada, Pepsi products that include BVO include Gatorade Perform Orange Thirst Quencher, Mountain Dew and Amp Energy Drink.
“We follow the regulatory guidelines in every country in which we operate,” DeCecco said. “Health Canada confirms that BVO is safe. If that were to change, we would absolutely comply with any new regulation.”
Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada also uses the ingredient in beverages including Fresca and some Powerade flavours.