Health Canada gives 1 year to remove BVO from drinks. What are the risks? – National [Video]

Brominated vegetable oil, a food additive used in citrus-flavoured soft drinks, has now been banned in Canada, but consumers could still see it popping up on ingredient labels for one more year.

Health Canada removed BVO from its list of permitted food additives on Aug. 30 after completing a safety assessment.

“The outcome of the assessment does not support BVO continuing to be permitted for use as a food additive,” the agency said in a statement last month.

Since its updated safety analysis “did not find an immediate health concern with the current permitted use of BVO as a food additive,” Health Canada said it will give a one-year transition period, which ends on Aug. 30, 2025, “to allow impacted products to be reformulated and relabeled.”

That means, a maximum BVO level of 15 parts per million (ppm) in beverages, which is equivalent to 15 milligrams per litre, will continue to be permitted.

Health Canada’s decision to ban …