06/05/2014 16:37
Coca-Cola to remove controversial drinks ingredient
The world's largest beverage-maker, Coca-Cola, plans to remove a controversial ingredient from some of its drinks brands by the end of this year, following an online petition, the BBC reported.
Brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, is found in Coca-Cola fruit and sports drinks such as Fanta and Powerade.
An element of the additive, also found in flame retardants, could have negative health effects, activists say.
Rival Pepsi removed the chemical from its Gatorade sports drink last year.
A Pepsi spokesman said it also had wider plans to stop using BVO and had "been actively working to remove it from the rest of our product portfolio."
Pepsi uses the ingredient in its Mountain Dew and Amp Energy drinks sold in the US.