California became the first state to ban four potentially dangerous food and drink additives, boosting food safety. Numerous nations throughout the world have already outlawed these compounds, which have been related to a number of illnesses, including cancer.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Food Safety Act, banning brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red color 3 from food and drinks. Products like candies, fruit drinks, biscuits, and others often include these ingredients.
The law's proponents clarify that this does not imply that well-liked items would abruptly disappear from store shelves. Rather, businesses will need to change their recipes to offer the same food and beverage goods made with healthier components.
What Makes These Food Chemicals Harmful?
The governor, who signed the legislation on Saturday, said, "Californians will still be able to access and enjoy their favorite food products, with greater confidence in the safety of such products," as quoted in a report from NPR. The California law will not take effect until 2027, giving firms plenty of time to alter their recipes and remove these harmful food ingredients.
Food appearance and shelf life can be improved with each of the four additives. For instance, strong red coloring is still added to foods and medications using red dye No. 3, which the FDA has prohibited from cosmetics owing to its connection to cancer in experimental animals. Health research indicated that artificial food dyes and behavioral issues in kids, especially hyperactivity, may be related, according to NBC News.
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In studies using animals, potassium bromate, a wheat ingredient used to increase bread rise, has also been connected to cancer. Brominated vegetable oil, an emulsifier in citrus beverages, has been linked to lab animal behavioral and reproductive difficulties and other health disorders. An endocrine disruptor, propylparaben, is a preservative found in food and cosmetics that is considered to imitate estrogen.
Food Manufacturers Slam California's Move
Meanwhile, food manufacturers worry about California's ban on food additives, even if health experts support it. They say a hodgepodge of state and FDA food rules will lead to confusion.
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) said "California is once again making decisions based on soundbites rather than science," warning that this measure might damage consumer confidence and boost food prices.
"This law replaces a uniform national food safety system with a patchwork of inconsistent state requirements created by legislative fiat that will increase food costs," the NCA stated, as quoted by the New York Post.
Similar legislation, Assembly Bill A6424, has been filed in the New York Legislature. The same four food chemicals banned by California are the focus of the proposed measure, which also includes titanium dioxide. Due to health concerns, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Gatorade, and Panera have voluntarily removed these ingredients, while other food manufacturers still use them in their products.
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