Coca-cola company to remove controversial chemical from Fanta and other drinks

The Coca-Cola Company said on Monday it will remove a controversial flavoring stabilizer from some of its drinks, following rival PepsiCo Inc's announcement earlier this year that it would drop the same ingredient from its drinks.

The ingredient, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), is a chemical containing bromine, which is found in fire retardants. Small quantities of BVO are used legally in some citrus-flavored drinks in the United States to keep the flavor evenly distributed.

Coca-Cola said the ingredient was dropped from two flavors of its Powerade drink - fruit punch and strawberry lemonade - earlier this year. The company expects to remove it from its Fanta and Fresca sods, and as well as citrus-flavored fountain drinks, by year's end for U.S. consumers