Health Canada bans use of brominated vegetable oil as food additive

As proposed in May 2024, Health Canada removes brominated vegetable oil (BVO) from the List of Permitted Food Additives with Other Accepted Uses.

This follows a safety assessment of BVO by Health Canada. Although the assessment did not identify an immediate health concern, it didn’t support the continued use of BVO as a food additive. At that time, BVO was permitted for use as a density adjusting agent at a maximum level of 15 ppm in beverages containing citrus or spruce oils.

The removal came into force August 30, 2024.

Health Canada is providing a one-year transition period, ending August 30, 2025, for companies to reformulate and relabel impacted products, since, as mentioned earlier, the safety assessment did not find an immediate health concern with the use of BVO as a food additive.

Health Canada clarifies that all requirements related to the current permitted use of BVO as a food additive will apply until August 30, 2025.