Dive Summary:
- High school student SarahKavanaughlaunched aChange.org petitionthat prompted PepsiCo toremovebrominatedvegetable oil(BVO) from Gatorade earlier this year.
- When it was added to Gatorade in 1969,BVOwas "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) by the U.S. government, meaning the ingredient avoided regulation by being considered safe under conditions of intended use by food industry experts (and as of 1997, the FDA typically does not review the science behind such decisions).
- As a PepsiCo spokeswoman explained to The Associated Press, the company made the decision to removeBVObecause consumers developed a "negative perception ofBVOin Gatorade."
From the article:
"...BVOwas on the 'safe' list whenStokely-VanCamp Inc. developed orange-flavored Gatorade in 1969. The FDA notes thatBVO溴含量明显少于阻燃剂d is considered safe for use in limited quantities in fruit-flavored drinks. It is used to emulsify citrus oil in fruit-flavored beverages including Mountain Dew,FantaandPowerade.
The ingredient, which is banned as an additive in Japan and the European Union, will remain in orange Gatorade through this spring, said spokeswoman Molly Carter of PepsiCo, which now owns Gatorade. She added that the decision to drop it was sparked by consumer rumblings over the past year, notKavanagh'spetition specifically. ..."
