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Doritos‚ Takis &; Other Foods Potentially Face School Ban In California Over Harmful Additives
A bill moving through the California Legislature could ban public schools from providing foods that contain synthetic dyes and other harmful additives.
Assembly Bill 2316 would target foods containing blue 1‚ blue 2‚ green 3‚ red 40‚ yellow 5‚ yellow 6‚ and titanium dioxide.
The aforementioned artificial food dyes have been linked to hyperactivity and behavioral issues in some children‚ NBC News noted.
“It would also outlaw titanium dioxide‚ a whitening agent used in candies and other products that is banned by the European Union because of concerns that it is potentially genotoxic‚ meaning it may damage DNA and cause cancer‚” the outlet wrote.
The bill would impact cereals‚ condiments‚ baked goods‚ and other foods.
Democrat Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel introduced the legislation.
“This legislation will not ban any specific foods or products. The goal here is to encourage companies to make minor modifications to products sold in California if they want their products to be sold in California public schools‚” Gabriel said‚ according to NBC News.
Flamin' Hot Cheetos‚ Doritos‚ and Takis could be banned in California public schools under new bill https://t.co/qVCBVFSzMv
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 13‚ 2024
Per NBC News:
The necessary recipe tweaks would be as small as changing one ingredient‚ Gabriel told NBC News‚ adding that many products sold on grocery store shelves use natural substitutes such as turmeric‚ beet juice or pomegranate juice for coloring.
Synthetic dyes “are nonessential ingredients‚” Gabriel said in a phone interview before introducing the bill. “These are chemicals that are added to food to make them appear more appealing. But for all of them‚ there are specific alternatives.”
In addition to titanium dioxide‚ the bill would ban Red 40‚ Green 3‚ Blue 1 and Blue 2‚ and Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 in foods served by schools.
The Food and Drug Administration has said it has not established a causal relationship between behavioral problems and synthetic dyes for children in the general population who haven’t been diagnosed with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
But Gabriel said a comprehensive assessment from the state of California showed otherwise. The 2021 evaluation found an association even in some children without ADHD diagnoses.
“It comes about five months after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the California Food Safety Act‚ which outlawed the sale of food and drinks that contained certain ingredients‚ including brominated vegetable oil and red dye 3‚” NPR noted.
California bill could see Doritos‚ Takis and Cheetos banned in public schools pic.twitter.com/YP9FszpGUP
— Pubity (@pubity) March 14‚ 2024
NPR reports:
Supporters of the new bill point to a possible link between artificial dyes and child development problems as a reason to outlaw the additives in schools‚ but some in the food industry have countered that there’s not enough scientific evidence to make that connection.
“California has a responsibility to protect our students from chemicals that harm children and that can interfere with their ability to learn‚” Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel‚ a Democrat who sponsored the legislation‚ said in a press release.
Some of the food items that could disappear from school cafeterias include Doritos‚ M&;Ms‚ sports drinks and sugary breakfast cereals such as Froot Loops and Cap’n Crunch‚ CapRadio reported.
Cheetos varieties‚ including the spicy Flamin' Hot version‚ and other chips like Doritos include red 40‚ yellow 5 and yellow 6 – all on the list of ingredients that would be banned if the bill is enacted. Here are other foods that include dyes. https://t.co/S28YdDfhg9
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 14‚ 2024
According to Patch‚ the European Union and UK requires foods containing yellow dyes 5 and 6 and red 40 to include a label warning the colors “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
WATCH:
Ingredients that are banned in other countries-
BHA/BHTHydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oilsDyes – Red 40‚ titanium dioxide‚ yellow 5Carrageenan- a gum that has been linked to inflammation in the gut.
Other countries have stricter and more regulated rules… pic.twitter.com/34SQLGLDCK
— Jessica Rojas (@catsscareme2021) March 14‚ 2024
From Patch:
Titanium dioxide was banned in the EU in 2022 due to concern that the additive could damage DNA and lead to genetic mutations that lead to cancer‚ according to the FDA.
The ingredient‚ which is naturally occurring mineral‚ is used to make foods look brighter and whiter.
The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel‚ D-Encino‚ who said California has a duty to avoid serving kids foods that may have detrimental health effects.
“As a lawmaker‚ a parent and someone who struggled with ADHD‚ I find it unacceptable that we allow schools to serve foods with additives that are linked to cancer‚ hyperactivity and neurobehavioral harms‚” he said in a statement.
Read Assembly Bill 2316 HERE.