Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ Companies / Coca-Cola, Pepsi to remove controversial beverage ingredient
BackBack

Coca-Cola, Pepsi to remove controversial beverage ingredient

The additive, brominated vegetable oil, is used as a stabilizer in drinks to help prevent ingredients from separating

At PepsiCo, BVO has been used in Mountain Dew and Amp Energy drinks, in addition to Gatorade. Photo: APPremium
At PepsiCo, BVO has been used in Mountain Dew and Amp Energy drinks, in addition to Gatorade. Photo: AP

Atlanta: Coca-Cola Co., the world’s largest beverage maker, plans to remove brominated vegetable oil (BVO) from all its US drinks by the end of this year, abandoning an ingredient that has been targeted by food activists.

The additive, known as BVO, will be taken out of both ready-to-drink beverages and fountain-machine formulas, Coca-Cola spokesman Josh Gold said in a statement. BVO is used as a stabilizer in drinks like Powerade, helping prevent ingredients from separating. PepsiCo Inc., after removing BVO from Gatorade last year, said on Monday that it too is replacing the additive in the rest of its lineup.

BVO has drawn criticism on social media and online forums such as Change.org, where thousands of people have signed petitions lobbying against it. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lets drink companies use BVO at up to 15 parts per million, though the agency dropped it from its generally recognized as safe list of food ingredients in 1970.

Health concerns about BVO stem from its use of bromide, the element found in brominated flame retardants, according to the Mayo Clinic. Coca-Cola, based in Atlanta, will switch to using sucrose acetate isobutyrate or glycerol ester of rosin—either alone or in combination.

Chewing gum

Glycerol ester of rosin is commonly found in chewing gum and beverages, and SAIB has been used in beverages for over 14 years, Gold said in the statement. 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. The safety and quality of our products is our highest priority.

Two varieties of Coke’s Powerade sports drink—fruit punch and strawberry lemonade—have already transitioned to glycerol ester of rosin, Gold said.

At PepsiCo, BVO has been used in Mountain Dew and Amp Energy drinks, in addition to Gatorade.

“We regularly evaluate our formulas and ingredients to ensure they comply with all regulations and meet the high quality standards our consumers expect," Jeff Dahncke, a spokesman for the Purchase, New York-based company, said in a statement. “We removed BVO from Gatorade in 2013 in response to our consumers and since that time we have been actively working to remove it from the rest of our product portfolio." Bloomberg

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Corporate news and Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More Less
Published: 06 May 2014, 10:00 AM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App

Chat with MintGenie