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Coca-Cola announced it would replace brominated vegetable oil in any of its products containing the ingredient.
Mr Michael Walker, an independent food scientist, said:
“There have been toxicological concerns around brominated vegetable oils, mainly to do with accumulation of bromine in fatty tissues of experimental animals and isolated human case reports, although the data are quite old and the levels experimentally fed were quite high.
“However, as these additives have been banned in the UK and EU for many years I welcome the Coca Cola decision – at the very least it avoids problems for UK companies and enforcement through imports and provides consumers with reassurance.”
Prof David Coggon, Professor of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at the University of Southampton, said:
“There is no chemical overlap between brominated vegetable oil and brominated flame retardants, and evidence on adverse health effects of the latter is irrelevant.
“It seems that the decision to withdraw these additives is simply a commercial response to consumer pressure and is not driven by scientific evidence of harm to health.”
Declared interests
Michael Walker’s company ‘Michael Walker Consulting Ltd’ acts for a wide range of clients including solicitors, LGC, ASEP in Queen’s University and a portfolio of board level and equivalent appointments.