60+ Years After Initial Concerns, FDA bans use of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in food

And the history of BVOs in the USA

Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) is a vegetable oil that has been chemically modified with bromine. Bromine is a reddish/brown liquid chemical that is used in various applications from flame retardants to water treatment chemicals to certain types of medications and stabilize citrus flavorings in drinks and even to modify vegetable oils. Vegetable oils (seed oils) have their own problems and health concerns but specifically BVO has even more concerns. Let’s look at the history of BVOs (according to the good ol’ FDA) and see when they maybe should have banned them in the first place.