Coca-cola to cut controversial substance from beverages

(HealthDay)—A controversial ingredient will be removed from many of Coca-Cola's citrus-flavored drinks, the company says.

The move is in response to consumers' concerns about brominated vegetable oil, which contains bromine, an element found in flame retardants, The New York Times reported.

The beverages that contain the substance include Fresca, some varieties of Fanta, and some fountain drinks.

Coca-Cola said that brominated vegetable oil will be replaced with sucrose acetate isobutyrate and/or glycerol ester of rosin. The first is common in beverages, and the second is used in gum, The Times reported.