These 5 ‘toxic’ food additives could soon be banned in the US

A bill introduced in the California state legislature seeks to ban five food additives already banned by the European Union. The chemicals targeted by Assembly Bill 418 are either known to cause health problems or cannot be ruled out as potential health risks when consumed.

The bill, which was introduced last month by California State Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, a Democrat from the San Fernando Valley, would make California the first US state to ban the products chemicals used in food production and packaging.

During a Thursday press conference on Zoom, Gabriel noted that many food brands, including Coke and Pepsi, as well as national retail and restaurant chains such as Dunkin’, Kroger and Panera Bread, have walked away. the use of the chemicals in question. However, other popular products still use these EU-banned additives, including Skittles and several Hostess desserts.

In a statement posted online, proponents of the first-of-its-kind legislation described the five chemicals and their potential health risks:

• Red Dye No. 3 has been linked to cancer And behavioral problems in children. It is found in more than 2,000 food products, including many types of candies, cookies and other foods intended for children. In 1990, the FDA banned many uses of the dye, citing cancer risks. Since 1994, the European Union has allowed the use of Red No. 3 only in candied and cocktail cherries.
• Brominated vegetable oil can accumulate in the body and has been linked to multiple health harms, including the nervous system. Its use in processed foods is banned in the EU.
• Potassium Bromate been cancer-related but has not been reviewed for safety by the FDA since 1973. Its use in processed foods in the EU since 1990 has been banned and since then it has been on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals that may cause cancer.
• Propylparaben has not undergone a thorough safety review by the FDA. It has been linked to damage to the hormonal and reproductive systems, including a decrease in sperm count. It has been banned for use in food in the EU since 2006, but it is still used as a curator in the United States
• titanium dioxidehas been linked to damage to our DNA and damage to the immune system. In 2022, the EU banned its use in foods offered for sale, but it is still allowed in foods sold in the United States It is found in popular snacks like Skittles.

In a statement, Susan Little, senior attorney for California government affairs with the activist organization Environmental Working Group, said of the chemicals: “We know they are harmful and children are likely exposed to a much higher than adults. meaning that the same products that food manufacturers sell in California are sold in the EU, but without these toxic chemicals. Our children must also be protected.

In July, a lawsuit was filed against Marsthe makers of Skittles, claiming the candies are unfit for human consumption.