California one step closer to banning certain food dyes in school lunches

A bill to outlaw the use of certain food dyes in school meals has advanced through the California Legislature and is headed for the Governor’s desk.

If signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, schools across the state would no longer be allowed to sell or provide food that included six chemicals that studies have shown have the potential to be harmful.

The food dyes included in the legislation are Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2 and Green Dye No. 3.

Consumer Reports and the Environmental Working Group co-sponsored the bill, which was drafted by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), the same California lawmaker who spearheaded the effort to ban certain additives in some processed foods from being sold in the state.

That bill came to be known for its unwanted “Skittles ban” moniker, despite the beloved candy being spared from the legislation.

Gabriel, who is a parent to a child diagnosed with ADHD, said he found it “unacceptable that we allow schools to serve foods with additives that are linked to neurobehavioral harms.”

He said the bill, if signed into law, would empower schools to do more to protect the well-being of kid and encourage manufacturers to stop using the harmful additives.

“California has a responsibility to protect our students from chemicals that harm children and that can interfere with their ability to learn,” Gabriel said in a news release issued by Consumer Reports.

Supporters of the bill said the dyes listed in this latest bill were not chosen at random, but rather were specifically identified by the State of California as having the known risk of making some children “vulnerable to behavioral difficulties and decreased attention.”

While approved for consumption by the Federal Drug Administration, supporters of the bill say the FDA hasn’t re-evaluated the safety of the chemical additives in decades.

According to some studies , Red Dye No. 40 in particular has been shown to pose a risk in the brain development in children, potentially causing hyperactivity and may even contribute to the likelihood of developing cancer. Consumer Reports says the dye hasn’t been re-evaluated for health risks since 1971.

The FDA says color additives are safe for consumption when they are used within FDA regulations , and says its has “reviewed and will continue to examine the effects of color additives on children’s behavior.”

Tasha Stoiber, a senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group, says the health of children and possible side effects of color additives should not be taken lightly.

“Many children rely on school meals as a source of their daily nutrition and calorie intake,” Stoiber said. “Kids deserve wholesome foods that don’t hinder their ability to learn, and parents deserve the confidence that the schools they’re sending their kids to aren’t serving them food that may harm them.”

Consumer Reports and EWG both say they applauded the passage of the bill in the State Legislature and urged Gov. Newsom to sign it into law.

“The FDA continues to fail to keep us safe from harmful chemicals in our food,” Melanie Benesh, EWG’s vice president for government affairs. “In the absence of federal leadership, states like California keep stepping up to ensure our safety from toxic chemicals in snacks and other food we and our families enjoy.”

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