FDA recommends BANNING toxic food additive ‘brominated vegetable oil’ which is found in dozens of sodas – and says dye used in Skittles could be next

A toxic food additive used in many sodas could be banned under a proposal from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The agency said a review of brominated vegetable oil — used to help with citrus flavoring — found it was no longer considered safe for human consumption.

Previous studies had linked the additive to neurological problems such as headaches and issues with the nervous systems and problems with the thyroid — a gland in the chest responsible for regulating the metabolism.

It comes after California passed a law banning the use of this additive — along with three others — by 2027, with New York also considering similar legislation. The agency said it was reviewing all the additives included in the California law including red dye no.3, which is used in some candies.

In its proposal today, the FDA said: ‘Recent toxicology studies conducted in collaboration with the NIH have now given us conclusive scientific evidence to support our proposal to remove the FDA’s food additive authorization for BVO.

‘Although BVO has a long history of use in foods and was at one time considered “Generally Recognized as Safe”, we have continued to study it to understand any potential health impacts.’

They added: ‘The FDA is continuously reviewing and reassessing the safety of a variety of chemicals in food to ensure the science and the law support their safe use.’ 

The agency cited a study on rats from July 2022 which found those exposed to the additive for 90 days had changes in their thyroid.

Brominated vegetable oil is currently licensed for use in small amounts in beverages to stop citrus flavoring separating from the drink and floating to the top.

The agency stopped recognizing it as safe in the 1970s and has since been monitoring studies on the additive to determine its health effects.

The agency said it was also investigating Red Dye No.3 used in drugs and some foods which has been linked to allergies, cancers, hyperactivity in children and problems with the thyroid.