Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) was a food additive used for decades to keep citrus flavoring evenly blended in beverages rather than separating and floating to the top. Made by bonding vegetable oil to bromine, an element also found in flame retardants, it drew growing scrutiny over potential health risks before the FDA finalized a ban revoking its authorization for use in food. Here are 10 drinks that historically contained BVO, most of which have since reformulated.
1. Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew was one of the most well-known drinks associated with BVO for decades. PepsiCo pledged to remove the additive from its products in 2016, and by 2020 had dropped it from the main Mountain Dew line, though some flavor variants and older stock reportedly still carried the ingredient for a period afterward.
2. Gatorade
Gatorade’s orange flavor became the center of a high-profile controversy when a Mississippi teenager’s Change.org petition, which drew more than 200,000 signatures, pushed PepsiCo to remove BVO from Gatorade Thirst Quencher Orange. PepsiCo announced it would stop using BVO in Gatorade on January 25, 2013, in direct response to consumer pressure.
3. MTN DEW Amp
MTN DEW Amp, PepsiCo’s energy drink line, continued containing BVO for years after the company’s 2016 pledge to remove it, according to consumer watchdog reporting, making it one of the products worth double-checking even after the broader phase-out began.
4. Fresca Original Citrus
Fresca Original Citrus was listed among citrus-flavored sodas that historically included BVO to keep its fruit flavoring properly suspended and evenly distributed throughout the drink.
5. Fanta Orange
Fanta Orange, another major citrus-flavored soda brand, was also identified as having previously contained BVO before major beverage manufacturers began phasing the ingredient out of their formulations.
6. Squirt
Squirt, a grapefruit-flavored citrus soda, was included among drinks that historically used BVO for flavor stability.
7. Sunkist Pineapple
Sunkist’s pineapple-flavored beverage was also named among citrus drinks that previously relied on BVO to prevent flavor separation.
8. Sun Drop
Sun Drop, a citrus-flavored soda popular in certain U.S. regions, has been specifically flagged by the FDA and news coverage as one of the smaller or regional brands that continued using BVO even after larger companies like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo phased it out.
9. D&G Genuine Jamaican Soda
Multiple flavors of D&G Genuine Jamaican Soda have been identified as still containing BVO, falling into the category of smaller brands that hadn’t yet reformulated by the time of the FDA’s final ban.
10. Store-Brand Citrus Sodas (HEB Orange Burst, Giant Orange Soda, Borden’s Pineapple Orange Sun Burst)
A number of store-brand and generic citrus beverages, including HEB Orange Burst, Giant Orange Soda, and Borden’s Pineapple Orange Sun Burst, have also been cited as products that continued using BVO. Because there are so many regional and generic store brands, compiling a fully complete list has always been difficult, and checking ingredient labels remains the most reliable way to confirm whether a specific product contains it.
Where Things Stand Now
Major manufacturers have moved decisively away from BVO. Coca-Cola confirmed its beverages don’t contain BVO, and PepsiCo has stated it no longer uses BVO in any of its products, according to reporting from NBC News. The FDA’s final rule revoking authorization for BVO in food means most mainstream products already reflect this change, though the agency has noted that some smaller brands and older stock already in circulation may still list the ingredient. Checking labels remains the most reliable way to confirm whether a specific product is BVO-free, particularly for regional or store-brand citrus drinks.
Join The Discussion
BVO’s decades-long presence in popular drinks is a good reminder of how consumer pressure, like that early Change.org petition, can sometimes move faster than regulatory action. Did you know any of your favorite drinks used to contain BVO, or have you gone out of your way to check labels since learning about it? Share your thoughts, questions, or anything else you’ve learned about food additive regulation below.
