Coke, Pepsi to drop controversial ingredient entirely

Photo: Facebook Page of Powerade Ion4

NEW YORK (AP)— PepsiCo has joined Coca-Cola in saying it’s working to remove a controversial ingredient from all its drinks, including Mountain Dew.

The company had announced last year that it was removing the ingredient from Gatorade. Then on Monday, Coca-Cola said it is dropping the ingredient from all its drinks, including Powerade.

Brominated vegetable oil was the target of petitions by a Mississippi teenager who wanted it out of Gatorade and Powerade. The petition noted that the ingredient has been patented as a flame retardant and isn’t approved for use in Japan and the European Union.

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have stood by the safety of the ingredient.