A Gatorade ingredient consumers have made complaints about will be removed, according to MSN Jan. 25. The controversial ingredient will remain in Powerade, however.
PepsiCo Inc. will take out the brominated vegetable oil that has caused some "rumblings" from consumers. Powerade, which is made by Coca-Cola Co., will keep the ingredient. It's unclear if the company will also remove the ingredient in the future.
Molly Carter, who is the spokeswoman for PepsiCo, said the decision to remove the controversial Gatorade ingredient had nothing to do with a petition on Change.org started by a Mississippi teenager.
Carter said the Gatorade ingredient acted as an "emulsifier" -- evenly distributing flavor in the dirink so it doesn't collect at the surface. She went on to say that it was used in select flavored Gatorade -- such as orange and "citrus cooler."
Brominated vegetable oil -- or BVO -- is also in Coca-Cola's Fanta and PepsiCo's Mountain Dew. A spokesman for Dr Pepper Snapple Group hasn't confirmed whether the ingredient is in any of their drinks.
Carter insists that PepsiCo's decision to remove the BVO was strictly due to consumer response. The ingredient isn't banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and PespiCo didn't have safety concerns over it.
What will the old Gatorade ingredient be replaced with? The company will add sucrose acetate isobutyrate. Carter said it will maintain the flavor and taste of the drinks.
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