2010-07-24 03:14:32
8
Brominated Soybean Oil
In which we discuss red drink at length.
Apparently brominated vegetable oil mascarades as soybean oil and is on the FDA's list of toxic additives list and is illegal in 100 countires.
Bromide is extracted from salt water and is commonly used in pesticides, flame retardants, gas additives and sedatives.
Still used in many soft drinks in the US and Europe.
So, theres that.
2010-07-24 03:09:54
nom nom nom.
At least it had orange juice concentrate in the list (after brominated soybean oil).
I don't think anyone drinks orange drink because they think it might be good for them.
Oh, and working in an organic chem lab for a few years got me really familiar with chemicals I want to avoid at all costs. Compounds that produced free bromine were at the top of my list. Bromine cleaves the tails off your swimmers, if you know what I mean. In reality, there probably wasn't much of it in that orange drink stuff, so I wouldn't worry unless you're drinking a gallon a day.
2010-07-24 03:26:06
so I wouldn't worry unless you're drinking a gallon a day.
Uh oh, Nick...
2010-07-24 05:10:33
@Noah: After I read Dan's reply and before I read yours, I was thinking that exactly, "uh oh"...
2010-07-24 22:02:43
When I think 'Brominated,' I think of a noble molecule that floats in free space, bro-fisting everyone and spending most of its molecular energy popping its collar.
2010-07-25 03:43:10
Guess what! Four years after we talked about it, they finally do something about it.
Powerade Drops Controversial Ingredient
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/powerade-drops-controversial-ingredient-23583019
From the article:
Coca-Cola is dropping a controversial ingredient from its Powerade sports drink, after a similar move by PepsiCo's Gatorade last year.
The ingredient, brominated vegetable oil, had been the target of a petition by a Mississippi teenager, who questioned why it was being used in a drink marketed toward health-conscious athletes.
2014-05-05 06:11:50
Less is more. I don't personally buy into the BVO is dangerous position... but I haven't exactly taken the time to read the actual studies either. I'm just highly suspicious of the latest internet demon in our food chain, as the health risk claims tend to be overblown or misinterpret what is known within the community of people who actually do take the time to read the studies as opposed to hear-say from some "health news" site on the web. Is this a win for our health? Or is it a win for exaggerated claims from reactionary circles... many of the food additives make sense within the context of why they are used, so long as reasonable dosages/consumption are respected.
That said, less is more. I see reducing additives that are really unnecessary as a good thing. I'm OK with the idea of "floaties" in my softdrink so long as I know why they are there. I don't need BVO to "protect" me from some "unsightly" settling of ingredients in a processed beverage any more than I need red dye added to farm-raised salmon to give the appearance of the wild kind. I doubt I react to red dye or BVO in an significant way, but some people are sensitive to these chemicals and ultimately, there really is no legit reason that they *need* to be added besides consumer stupidity.
Just because something looks "fresh" doesn't make it so... I think that's the moral to the story. So, I'll celebrate this decision, but for a different reason than most will.
2014-05-05 09:18:10