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An online petition has made the Coca-Cola Company change the recipe of several of its drinks. The world's largest drinks manufacturer will remove a substance called brominated vegetable oil (BVO) from drinks like Powerade and Fanta. BVO is a food additive that stops other ingredients from separating. It contains the chemical bromide, which is used in products to prevent fires. A Coca-Cola spokesman said: "All of our beverages, including those with BVO, are safe…and [they] comply with all regulations…The safety and quality of our products is our highest priority."

The USA's Food and Drug Administration removed BVO from its "generally recognised as safe" list in 1970. A few months ago, an American teenager started a petition on the site Change.org to get BVO removed from drinks. She asked why it was used in what are sold as health drinks. More than 200,000 people signed the petition. The teen said: "It's really good to know that companies, especially big companies, are listening to consumers." She added: "I'm glad to know the Powerade sold at my school and consumed by people around the world will be a little bit healthier without BVO."