You may want to check the label the next time you open your favorite bottle of soda. It may have a little something extra in it that you might not know about.

Bromine, commonly used as flame retardant, is present in over 10% of the soda produced in the U.S. It is banned as a food additive in Europe and Japan.

So why is it used in soda? Coca-Cola explains that bromine or brominated vegetable oil “is used a as stabilizer to prevent the citrus flavoring oils from floating to the surface in beverages”. Oddly enough bromine is a derivative of soybean and corn.

So what are the risks of drinking soda with bromine in it? The Environmental Health News reports studies that are somewhat alarming:

After a few extreme soda binges — not too far from what many gamers regularly consume – a few patients have needed medical attention for skin lesions, memory loss and nerve disorders, all symptoms of overexposure to bromine. Other studies suggest that BVO could be building up in human tissues, just like other brominated compounds such as flame retardants. In mouse studies, big doses caused reproductive and behavioral problems.

The FDA had once banned its use back in the 70′s as a flavor additive but was reinstated later as a stabilizer.