Improved Analysis and Characterization of Brominated Vegetable Oil in Multiple Beverages Using LC-MS/MS and LC-HRMS

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) was previously permitted in beverages at up to 15 ppm to stabilize fruit flavorings but is no longer authorized for use in foods in the U.S. following FDA's revocation of its authorization (21 CFR § 180.30), as there is no longer a basis to conclude that this use is safe. Existing measurement methods rely on either indirect analysis requiring extensive sample preparation or direct methods using uncommon solvents or specialized equipment. This work presents a direct liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using readily available instrumentation, standard solvents, and simple sample preparation. The method monitors 9 unique BVO species, which were characterized using high-resolution MS. The LC-MS/MS BVO method has low detection limits (∼10 parts per billion), high linearity (R2 ≥ 0.995), and high accuracy (recoveries of 84-106%). Additionally, the method was tested on market soda samples listing BVO on the label.