The FDA proposes banning a food additive that's been used for a century

A sign for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is displayed outside its offices in Silver Spring, Md., on Dec. 10, 2020. The FDA says it's considering banning brominated vegetable oil, a food additive. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering banning brominated vegetable oil, a food additive that was recently deemed unlawful to use in California because of its potentially harmful effects on human health.

The FDA said Thursday it is considering reversing its approval of brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, in beverages following a recent study in rats that found the ingredient could cause damage to the thyroid.