PepsiCo announced Friday that it is
removing an ingredient in Gatorade after many consumers have
complained about the ingredient. Brominated vegetable oil has been
used in citrus versions of the drink to prevent the different
flavorings from separating. Studies have shown that there are several
possible side effects, like neurological disorders and altered
thyroid hormones. The petition was started by Sarah Kavanagh, a 15
year old girl from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. PepsiCo has stated that
they have been testing alternatives for the chemical for about a year
due to feedback from customers, but has not found a serious health
risk with B.V.O. It will be replaced by sucrose acetate isobutyrate,
which is said to be more safe by the Food and Drug Administration.
B.V.O. Is banned as a food ingredient in Japan and the European
Union. The ingredient is also present in other drinks such as
Mountain Dew, which they say they have no plan in removing it from.
I personally do not like having big
long named ingredients and drugs in my foods. I've always tried to
keep an idea of what. But this took me by a surprise like a lot of
other things have in the past. My dad has told me that in some parts
of Europe brominated vegetable oil is used in fire retardants, which
scared me a lot. I'm greatly relieved that they are taking this out
of the drink, and it's one step closer to banning it from our foods
and drinks like it has been in Japan and the European Union.
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