What drinks have brominated vegetable oil BVO?

November 12, 2025 •

4 min read

In July 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially banned the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food and drinks after new studies raised safety concerns. Although major beverage brands phased out BVO years ago, some smaller and store-brand citrus drinks may have contained this additive until the ban's compliance date of August 2, 2025. Consumers should still check labels for brominated vegetable oil (BVO) while older inventory is depleted.

Quick Summary

The FDA banned the food additive brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in 2024 due to potential health risks, with a compliance deadline set for August 2025. While major brands removed BVO years prior, certain store-brand and regional citrus-flavored sodas and fruit drinks may still have contained it. Consumers are advised to check ingredient labels to identify any remaining products with this chemical.

Key Points

FDA Ban: The FDA officially banned brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in July 2024, with a one-year phase-out period for manufacturers.
Specific Drinks: Historically, BVO was found primarily in citrus-flavored sodas and sports drinks, including Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Sun Drop, and some store brands like Great Value and Food Lion.
Check Labels: Until August 2025, it is possible to find older inventory containing BVO, so consumers should check ingredient labels for "brominated vegetable oil".
Safety Concerns: Health concerns linked to BVO include potential damage to the thyroid gland, as well as neurological symptoms like headaches and memory loss at high levels of consumption.
Major Brands are BVO-Free: Large beverage companies like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola proactively removed BVO from their flagship products years before the federal ban took effect.
Alternative Stabilizers: Many companies have successfully reformulated their drinks using alternative emulsifiers, such as glycerol ester of wood rosin, which is widely accepted in other regions.
Geographic Regulations: The U.S. is catching up to other regions, including Europe and Japan, which banned BVO years or even decades ago.

What is Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)?

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a food additive used to stabilize and emulsify flavorings in beverages, particularly those with a citrus base. BVO prevents flavor oils from separating from the water and rising to the surface, ensuring a consistent, cloudy appearance. It is made by modifying vegetable oil with bromine. Though once considered 'Generally Recognized As Safe' (GRAS) by the FDA, concerns about its safety have persisted for decades, leading to international restrictions and, ultimately, a ban in the United States.

The Health Concerns Associated with BVO

Concerns about the safety of BVO have been growing for decades, primarily because bromine can accumulate in body fat, liver, heart, and brain tissue. While the risk from moderate consumption is considered low, excessive intake has been linked to potential health issues. Animal studies have shown that high levels of exposure can cause damage to the thyroid gland. Some of the potential negative health effects linked to overexposure include:

Damage to the central nervous system
Memory loss
Headaches
Nausea
Loss of muscle coordination
Irritation of the skin and mucous membranes

These concerns, coupled with increasing pressure from advocacy groups and public awareness, prompted regulatory action by the FDA and individual states.

Which Drinks Historically Contained BVO?

Historically, BVO was most prevalent in citrus-flavored soft drinks and sports drinks, with many major brands phasing it out over the years. Some of the most well-known examples include:

Mountain Dew: PepsiCo removed BVO from this product in 2020 after a public petition gained significant attention.
Gatorade: PepsiCo phased BVO out of Gatorade products in 2013.
Powerade and Fanta: Coca-Cola announced the removal of BVO from all its products, including Powerade and Fanta, in 2014.
Sun Drop: This brand, made by Keurig Dr Pepper, was one of the last major products to contain BVO. A company spokesperson announced they were actively reformulating the product, with completion expected by the end of 2024 to comply with the new federal ban.
Store Brands: Smaller grocery store brands and regional sodas, including certain varieties from Great Value (Walmart), Food Lion, and Giant, have historically listed BVO as an ingredient.

How to Check for BVO

With the nationwide ban in effect, identifying BVO in new products should be a thing of the past. However, because manufacturers have a one-year compliance period (until August 2025), older inventory containing BVO might still be on store shelves.

Read the ingredient list: The most reliable method is to check the ingredient label. BVO must be explicitly listed as "brominated vegetable oil" or a brominated version of a specific oil, such as "brominated soybean oil".
Check for citrus flavor: BVO was most commonly used in citrus-flavored beverages, so these are the products to scrutinize most carefully.
Note product appearance: While not foolproof, some drinks with BVO have a characteristic cloudy appearance due to the emulsification. If a citrus-flavored drink is particularly opaque, it's worth checking the label.

Comparison of BVO-Containing and BVO-Free Drinks


Feature	Drinks Containing BVO (Historically)	BVO-Free Drinks (Modern)
Primary Function	Emulsifier to prevent flavor separation	Often use alternative emulsifiers or have different formulations
Appearance	Often appears cloudy and consistent	Appearance varies; may be clear or have different stabilizers
Key Brands	Sun Drop, some store-brand orange sodas	Major brands like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, most Gatorade and Fanta products
Regulatory Status	FDA banned nationwide as of 2024 (compliance 2025)	Widely compliant with global and national food safety standards
Health Concerns	Linked to thyroid and neurological issues in animal studies	Not associated with BVO-related health risks
Labeling	Explicitly lists "Brominated Vegetable Oil"	Lists alternative, approved ingredients like glycerol ester of wood rosin

What to Choose Instead of BVO Drinks

For consumers looking to avoid BVO and other controversial food additives, there are plenty of healthy and flavorful alternatives:

Water with fresh fruit: Infusing water with fresh citrus fruits, berries, or cucumber is a simple, delicious, and healthy alternative to flavored sodas.
Seltzer or sparkling water: Mixing unflavored seltzer with a splash of 100% fruit juice offers a fizzy drink without added chemicals.
Unsweetened tea or coffee: These offer flavor variety without the need for synthetic additives or excessive sugar.
Homemade sodas: Using a SodaStream or similar machine, you can create your own carbonated beverages with natural flavorings.

The Path to the Ban: A Timeline of BVO Regulation

The FDA's final rule revoking authorization for BVO's use in food, which was finalized on July 3, 2024, marks the culmination of decades of regulatory review.

1958: The FDA initially designates BVO as "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS).
1970: Toxicity studies raise concerns, leading the FDA to remove BVO from the GRAS list and reclassify it as a food additive with interim authorization at limited levels.
2014: Public pressure and growing health evidence prompt the FDA to re-evaluate BVO's safety and commission new studies.
2022: A study co-conducted by the FDA and NIH reveals potential adverse health effects on rodents at realistic exposure levels.
2023: California passes the California Food Safety Act, banning BVO and three other additives, effective 2027.
July 2024: The FDA issues a final rule banning BVO nationwide, effective August 2, 2024, with a one-year compliance period.

Conclusion

The landscape of beverages is changing, with brominated vegetable oil (BVO) officially banned by the FDA due to safety concerns identified in recent animal studies. While major brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola removed BVO from their products years ago, some smaller, store-brand citrus drinks may still exist on shelves until the August 2025 compliance date. Consumers should practice due diligence by checking ingredient lists for the term "brominated vegetable oil" to ensure they are purchasing products free of this controversial additive. For long-term health, opting for water or naturally flavored drinks remains the safest choice.

For a detailed timeline of BVO regulation and advocacy efforts, visit the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule in July 2024 revoking the regulation allowing BVO's use in food, citing new safety concerns.

BVO was primarily used in citrus-flavored beverages, including soft drinks and sports drinks, to keep flavor oils from separating.

In the past, major brands like Mountain Dew, Gatorade, and Fanta used BVO but have since reformulated. Some of the last remaining examples included Keurig Dr Pepper's Sun Drop and certain store-brand sodas, such as Great Value's Orangette.

BVO was banned after animal studies co-conducted by the FDA and NIH showed potential adverse health effects, particularly on the thyroid gland, from exposure.

Yes, there is a one-year compliance period following the ban's effective date of August 2, 2024. This means that older inventory containing BVO may remain on shelves until August 2025.

To identify BVO, look for the term "brominated vegetable oil" or a brominated form of a specific oil, such as "brominated soybean oil," on the ingredient list.

Many food companies have switched to safer alternatives, such as glycerol ester of wood rosin, to stabilize flavorings. These alternatives are approved for use and have a more robust safety profile based on modern research.

The safety of BVO has been questioned for decades. The FDA first removed it from the GRAS list in 1970, and many other countries have had bans in place for years or decades.