explore

WASHINGTON — Richard Nixon was the president when the Food and Drug Administration issued its first warnings about brominated vegetable oil, based on reports it could harm a slew of vital organs, from the liver to the heart.

But the agency still hasn’t actually banned the ingredient — it only sent a proposed ban to the White House in August. It’s been illegal in the U.K. since 1970.

advertisement

The move would seem a win for consumer health, but brominated vegetable oil hasn’t really been used in the U.S. for years. Pepsi and Coca Cola both pledged to stop using the ingredient, which can help keep soda flavoring from rising to the top of a bottle, nearly a decade ago. Restaurants and grocery stores, like Panera, Whole Foods, and Kroger, have banned all foods with brominated vegetable oil as well.

Get unlimited access to award-winning journalism and exclusive events.