Coca-Cola claims no BVO is added to beverages in Serbia

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is not used in any of Coca-Cola beverages in Europe and has never been an ingredient of the Coca-Cola drink, Coca-Cola Serbia announced in a release on Tuesday (6 May 2014).

BVO is added to some drinks in other markets in order to improve the stability of products because it prevents separation of certain ingredients, the release reads.

- All our beverages, including those with BVO, are safe for use and have always been - and comply with all regulations in the countries where they are sold. The safety and quality of our products is our highest priority.

Coca-Cola annoounced that it would gradually switch from using brominated vegetable oil to using sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB) and/or glycerol ester of rosin (separated or combined).

- We expect this process in the USA to be completed by the year's end - the release reads.

The campaign against the use of BVO was begun by Sarah Kavanagh, a teenager from Mississippi, who questioned why the ingredient was being used in drinks targeted at health-conscious athletes.

The use of brominated vegetable oil is forbidden in Japan and the European Union, AP reports.