FDA has proposed revoking the regulation that authorizes the use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food due to concerns about harm to human health. The proposal comes on the heels of a California law that went into effect last month that banned four food ingredients, including BVO.
In 1958, FDA classified BVO as generally recognized as safe (GRAS), permitting its use as a food-grade ingredient; however, in 1970, the agency removed it from the codified list of GRAS substances and regulated it as a food additive. Opponents of that rule have argued that BVO in beverages poses a harmful risk to human health, citing thyroid and chronic health problems that have resulted from exposure.
FDA made the current proposed ban after conducting a 90-day dietary exposure study in rats, which concluded that, at high doses, exposure to BVO resulted in thyroid damage in the animals. “Based on these data and remaining unresolved safety questions, the FDA can no longer conclude that the use of BVO in food is safe,” the agency said in a statement published November 2.
Other countries, such as those in the European Union, Japan, and the U.K. have already banned BVO use in food. Many U.S. food manufacturers have also stopped using the substance and today, few beverages in the U.S. contain the ingredient.
The Institute of Food Technologists was pleased with the proposed ban. “We applaud FDA’s evidence-based assessment of food additive safety, as we believe science is critical for establishing policies to ensure a global food system that is sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible to all,” a spokesperson for the organization told Food Quality & Safety. “We look forward to seeing the continued evolution of the Human Foods Program.”
The proposed rule will be available for public comment for 75 days, and all comments should be submitted by January 17, 2024, at regulations.gov.
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