Your Soda Probably Contains the Same Flame Retardant Chemical as Your Couch

A 2013 Change.org petition that garnered more than 200,000 signatures challenged Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to remove the stabilizing agent known as brominated vegetable oil (BVO) from their beverages in the interest of public safety. In due time, the companies responded to the challenge and promised to remove the controversial chemical from their beverages. As of this writing, that promise has yet to be fulfilled.

What is BVO?

Food Processing tells us, “First patented as a flame-retardant chemical, brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a complex mixture of plant-derived triglycerides that are reacted to contain atoms of the element bromine bonded to the molecules. The stabilizer has for decades been added to about 10 percent of the soft drinks in the U.S. to keep fat-soluble citrus flavors suspended in soft drinks, giving the drink a cloudy look.”

Did you catch that first bit? Brominated vegetable oil was initially patented as a flame-retardant. In fact, it’s still used today to make furniture and plastics fire safe. The trouble is that BVO can accumulate in fatty tissue, and bromine toxicity is incredibly dangerous. Bromine poisoning can cause skin lesions, memory loss and nerve problems. The chemical disruption can impair neurological development, reduce fertility and even alter thyroid function, so it’s understandable that a large number of people wanted this chemical out.

The transition should have been relatively quick and painless; both companies sell their formulations in Europe, India and Japan where BVO is banned as a food additive. That means that alternative formulations not only exist, but are also in production around the world. This begs the question; why does Mountain Dew still contain BVO?

Why BVO is still in our drinks

There is one reason, and one reason only, that big businesses disregard public safety; the bottom line. It’s not oversight or difficulty that has kept dangerous products on shelves across the country; it’s greed. Greed is just one of the forms that negligence can take, but it’s one that is costing us the health of our friends and loved ones.

If your illness or injury is the result of a defective or contaminated product, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages. The experienced South Carolina defective product attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips LLC can evaluate your case and help get you the compensation you deserve. Call 803-327-7800 or contact us today for a free consultation.