The state of California has decided to ban school cafeterias from serving foods with artificial food dyes, stirring up debate among food manufacturers, health advocates, and consumers alike.
The proposed ban, known as the California School Food Safety Act, was signed on Sunday, September 29, by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Starting in 2028, the law bans artificial food dyes from all foods served at public schools. These include Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. These are most commonly found in a range of products like candies, cereals, beverages, and snacks.
This legislation was driven by concerns over potential health risks that artificial dyes pose, and it aims to address the increasing apprehensions about food safety and consumer awareness.
List of food dyes banned by the State of California and the reasons behind it
These are the food dyes that the children of California can no longer consume:
- Red 40
- Yellow 5
- Yellow 6
- Blue 1
- Blue 2
- Green 3
Despite initial findings, several studies have concluded that these dyes have carcinogenic properties, and have been linked to hyperactivity, attention, and neurobehavioral problems in developing children.
The bill came into place following a 2021 study from the California Environmental Protection Agency. According to one of the authors,
"Overall, our review of human studies suggests that synthetic food dyes are associated with adverse neurobehavioral effects, such as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and restlessness in sensitive children. The evidence supports a relationship between food dye exposure and adverse behavioral outcomes in children, both with and without pre-existing behavioral disorders.”
According to Asa Bradman, a professor, and chair of the University of California Merced's public health department, who also worked on the California review,
"There's a strong suggestion that there is a relationship between intake of these materials and changes in behavior... particularly in children that are susceptible, that already have ADHD, or related behaviors. Exposure to the dyes seems to exacerbate the symptom."
Per the 300-page report published by California’s Environmental Hazard Research Agency, the FDA did not take into account the neurological implications associated with food dyes when developing safety standards.
They solely focused on physiological implications instead, such as weight gain or decreased liver function in animals.
In a statement to USA Today the FDA said:
"[They have] 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."
Democratic Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who initially proposed the legislation this March, chimed in on the newly ratified bill. He said to NBC News,
"We’re feeling really proud of the fact that we are changing the national conversation around food safety, It is very clear that these are chemicals that can harm kids and interfere with their ability to learn.”
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The law will be enacted across the state come December 31, 2027. According to Gabriel, this grants manufacturers all the time they need to take action and explore healthier recipes.
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