FDA Revokes Regulation Allowing Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) in Food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is repealing the regulation that allowed the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food. Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a vegetable oil modified with bromine. The agency said that the intended use of BVO in food is no longer considered safe after results from a study conducted in cooperation with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed potential adverse health effects in humans.

The FDA has regulated BVO as a food additive since the agency removed it from the codified list of substances generally recognized as safe, or “GRAS,” in 1970. Under the approval, it was used in small amounts to prevent citrus flavor from rising to the top in some beverages, and manufacturers were required to list BVO or a specific brominated vegetable oil, such as brominated soybean oil, on the ingredient list if it was used. Few U.S. beverages contain BVO.

The rule becomes effective on August 2, 2024. The compliance date for this rule is one year after the effective date to give companies an opportunity to reformulate, relabel, and exhaust their supplies of products containing BVO before FDA begins enforcement of the final rule.