The FDA said it had concluded that BVO was not safe for use after the results of studies, it conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, found the potential for adverse effects in humans.

The agency had first proposed to revoke the regulation in November 2023. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, BVO was banned in the UK in 1970, followed by India in 1990, the EU in 2008 and Japan in 2010.

  • DominusOfMegadeus@sh.itjust.works
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    The Food and Drug Administration said on Tuesday it would revoke the regulation that authorized the use of brominated vegetable oil in food items, effective Aug. 2, as it was no longer safe.

    BVO is a chemical ingredient containing bromine, which is found in fire retardants. Small quantities of BVO are used legally in some citrus-flavored drinks in the United States to keep the flavor evenly distributed.

    The FDA said it had concluded that BVO was not safe for use after the results of studies, it conducted in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, found the potential for adverse effects in humans.

    The agency had first proposed to revoke the regulation in November 2023. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, BVO was banned in the UK in 1970, followed by India in 1990, the EU in 2008 and Japan in 2010.

    In 1970, the FDA had concluded that its use in food was not generally recognized as safe because of toxicity concerns. After this, the agency began regulating BVO as a food additive, while simultaneously conducting safety studies.

    “The FDA’s new regulation to not allow BVO as a food additive is a terrific positive in the right direction,” said Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors.

    As per FDA rules, whenever a company was using the ingredient in any product, it was necessary to list it on the label.

    Over time, many beverage makers have replaced BVO with an alternative ingredient, according to the FDA. “Today, few beverages in the U.S. contain BVO,” it said.

    PepsiCo and Coca-Cola have removed BVO from their drinks such as Gatorade and Fanta, respectively.

    “Sun Drop, manufactured by Keurig Dr Pepper, still uses BVO … This is probably the biggest national brand that still uses it,” said CFRA Research’s Arun Sundaram.

    Keurig Dr Pepper did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

    • followed by India in 1990

      India, a country considerably more blasé about safety standards than the US, had already banned it a generation ago. Terrifying negligence on behalf of the FDA. How much money could this have possibly saved the megacorps?

      • Death_Equity@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Considered safe. Considerations are influenced by adequate research, ideally.

        Lead used to be considered safe in paint, asbestos used to be considered safe for napkins, cigarettes used to be considered safe to smoke, cocaine used to be considered safe to drink, etc.

        I am just waiting for the next “asbestos” to come to light in home construction. I am betting on drywall sooner or later being considered hazmat to disturb. Plastics are emerging as a bigger problem, so we will see how that all pans out.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          Lead used to be considered safe in paint

          It’s worse than that. Ancient Romans knew that lead could poison you and no one ever forgot. They all kept using it anyway because lead was cheap.

          • Death_Equity@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            The Romans even knew about asbestos, there were recommendations to not buy slaves from the asbestos mines because of the poor health associated.

            Oddly enough, they still wiped their faces with the stuff because those napkins and towels could be cleaned by throwing them in fire.

          • IamSparticles@lemmy.zip
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            Lead is still used as a gasoline additive for some applications. It was only banned for sale for on road vehicles in the 90s. Prior to 1975 just about every car on the road was spewing it from the tail pipe.

          • FireRetardant@lemmy.world
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            Then we put it in gasoline knowing damn well that the poisionous lead would spew out the exhaust, it took us decades to reverse that decison as well and it only really happened when engine knocking had been resolved.

          • Death_Equity@lemmy.world
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            Everything that the FDA doesn’t declare as “known” or “proven” safe within defined limits are “considered” safe or may be allowable to a defined limit. It is their cute little scapegoat should a substance they allow be proven unsafe and then they would face a greater risk of lawsuit had they determined it was known or proven safe.

    • Beetschnapps@lemmy.world
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      India doesn’t have the Robert’s court.

      The FDA means nothing. Agencies are pointless now. The whole thing is a joke.

    • tamal3@lemmy.world
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      Yes, weren’t the implications from the Chevron case that the FDA wouldn’t be able to ban ingredients anymore? I thought the government departments were all basically stripped of powers and could only make recommendations to Congress.

      Got to go read, now, and figure out what I misunderstood…

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        They can continue operating until the courts stop them. Chevron deference is in reference to court cases, not specific regulatory authority. So the Chevron doctrine was that courts should defer to the regulatory agency in most cases. With it gone, courts can generally rule against specific regulations without fear of being over turned on appeal.

        The real danger is SCOTUS in another case in the last few days completely removed something called standing in relation to these regulations. It used to be that you could only challenge a new rule or regulation right after it was made. Now you can challenge it when the damage occurs. That sounds better but in reality it’s worse. Because corporations can act as people in court, all you have to do is incorporate a new corporation in a friendly court district. For example, the second you create a “alcohol distribution” corporation you are subject to those regulations. Some of them are a hundred years old. You can now claim damage has occurred and sue to block the enforcement of those regulations.

        Before Chevron was removed though the courts would have most likely ruled against you because the agency was deferred to in most cases. Now the court can take this shell company’s case and rule however it wants.

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    The FDA knew it wasn’t safe in 1970.

    Okay new rule. If it’s not naturally grown and simply processed, (squeezing an orange) it has to go to the FDA for FDA led testing and cannot be distributed until then.

    If that’s already the case then we need to see some criminal prosecutions. I’m getting really fucking tired of these captured regulators.

    • skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de
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      Oranges aren’t squeezed anyway. They’re separated into tanks of raw components and then mixed so OJ always tastes the same.

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      Just banning PTFE outright isn’t gonna go well, it just has way too many useful applications. As a lubricant for example (tho fully enclosed uses there are def preferred obviously), or for uses where the fact that it’s practically non-reactive is very much important. Phasing out PTFE coatings for non stick pans&things like that? Sure, that we can do. Basically… reduce it’s use to applications where it actually makes sense to do so&where there is no such thing as a practical “just use something else that doesn’t share the same environmental issues!”

      • Rin@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        I’m aware there are legitimate uses for it, I meant around foodstuff since it’s not something that should be anywhere near it. I probably should’ve specified better. 😅

        • BruceTwarzen@lemm.ee
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          I feel the same way about diamonds. They are fantastic for tools and abrasives, but everyone wearing it should be hit over the head with a teflon pan.

          • Rin@lemm.ee
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            4 months ago

            Eh, if it’s lab grown or some family heirloom then I don’t think there’s any harm. With lab grown you’re getting virtually the same thing as natural ones for cheaper, and without it being harvested by a child slave at gun point.

    • Steve@communick.news
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      4 months ago

      Small quantities of BVO are used legally in some citrus-flavored drinks in the United States to keep the flavor evenly distributed.

      No, you’ll just have to shake it before drinking.

      • mkwt@lemmy.world
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        Whew. I can’t imagine any Sunny D consumer being satisfied with a real orange flavor.

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    I could find these drinks two after digging in to 2 differnet articles :

    1. Sun Drop, made by Keurig Dr Pepper  2. Great Value Orangette orange soda ( Walmart brand )
    • FuzzyRedPanda@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      You’re going to have to drink indoor pool water like the rest of us. It has all the bromine you’ll need, and more!

  • skuzz@discuss.tchncs.de
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    Also annoying that articles like these never list the full list of affected beverages. We can’t have a negative taint against our dear corporations!