California passes bill to ban 6 artificial dyes in public school food
The California School Food Safety Act prohibits a school district, county superintendent of schools or charter school with grades kindergarten through 12th from offering foods or beverages containing red dye No. 40, yellow dyes Nos. 5 and 6, blue dyes Nos. 1 and 2, and green dye No. 3.
The bill that passed the Legislature with bi partisan support this week, now goes on to California Governor Gavin Newsom, desk. He has until September 30 to sign it into the law. Once legalized this would be enacted on December 31, 2027.
The reason these chemicals were chosen is due to concerns these dyes harm children's ability to learn, as they have been linked to behavioral difficulties and decreased attention among children. Those most affected are young children and children with ADHD and other behavioral and learning differences.
If these chemicals are so bad why arent they banned nation wide?
These chemicals are deemed safe enough by the FDA as their view is that “ The FDA has reviewed the research on the effects of color additives on children's behavior including the literature review cited by the Bill. The totality of scientific evidence shows that most children have no adverse effects when consuming foods containing color additives, but some evidence suggests that certain children may be sensitive to them."
( In the European Union, products including these dyes are required to have a warning label saying those products could harm young people)
However, there is hope that things could change in the US….
Given the size of California's economy, and the fact that it has the largest school system in the nation ( over 6.5 million students!) it is possible that the law could be a major victory for the food safety movement not only here in the state of California, but also nationally. The idea being that manufacturers could make minor modifications to their recipes, to change put the harmful chemicals for better ingredients including already used natural alternatives — such as turmeric, beet juice or pomegranate juice- nationwide
Last year California passed of the California Food Safety Act, that banned brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and Red 3 from grocery shelves across the state because The additives have been associated with health problems ranging from hormone disruption to cancer. .. Last month, the FDA announced it had concluded that brominated vegetable oil was not safefor human consumption and it revoked authorization for its use in food and drinks nationwide.
oK - but this ban ( once signed into law) wont go into effect until 12/2027)….
Want to make sure your kids arent eating these chemicals in their snacks?
read the ingredients in ALL non organic packaged foods/ processed foods
foods that are USDA-certified organic, can't contain artificial food dye ( note they can still contain other ingredients and contaminants like phthalates so still best to limit all processed foods)
Cut back on sodas, juices or sports drinks that might contain them, as well.
Focus on fresh foods
Foods that commonly contain these ingredients incude: popular cereals, ice creams, drinks, candy, ice pops, cheese-flavored chips, jellies and more
Sources
https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/risk-assessment/report/healthefftsassess041621.pdf