At least a dozen US states rush to ban common food dyes, citing health risks

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Tue 11 Mar 2025 11.00 EDT
Last modified on Tue 11 Mar 2025 11.02 EDT


At least a dozen US states – from traditionally conservative Oklahoma to liberal-leaning New York – are rushing to pass laws outlawing commonly used dyes and other chemical additives in foods, citing a need to protect public health. In one of the most far-reaching efforts, West Virginia last week advanced a sweeping ban on a range of common food dyes that have been linked to health problems, particularly for children, with overwhelming support from both Republicans and Democrats.

The new law prohibits the sale of any food product containing certain yellow, blue, green and red dyes often found in candies, snacks and other foods and drinks, and goes much further than any other state in moving to eliminate the chemicals from store shelves. The West Virginia measure has passed both legislative chambers and is expected to receive final clearance within the next week to move to the governor’s desk for signing.

Public health advocates have been lobbying for state and federal action for years, pointing to research that links food dyes and other chemical additives to health risks, including neurobehavioral problems in children and animal research linking certain additives to cancers. Food industry advocates have protested efforts to ban the additives, citing what they say is a lack of proof that the chemicals are harmful to people, and arguing such laws will raise food prices.

The National Confectioners Association (NCA) said that the measures “will make food significantly more expensive for, and significantly less accessible to, people in the states that pass them.” The association also said the federal government – in the form of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – should be the final arbiter for food additives. “While there is a role for state legislators and public health officials to play in the ongoing conversation about food additives, decision-making should be left to FDA,” the NCA said.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/11/food-dye-ban-bill

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West Virginia? The place that demands coal? And a corporate lobby group wanting federal regulation?

I have entered -

[Klarkashton]

1. More Kennedy bullshit.

[Ocelot II]

2. These are state laws, not federal.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

12. Why now, though? Excerpt did not explain. I wonder if article does. . . . nt

[womanofthehills]

5. Many of the dyes are cancer causing and illegal in Europe

Toxicology of food dyes
Sarah Kobylewski 1 , Michael F Jacobson


Abstract

Background: Food dyes, synthesized originally from coal tar and now petroleum, have long been controversial because of safety concerns. Many dyes have been banned because of their adverse effects on laboratory animals or inadequate testing.

Conclusions: This review finds that all of the nine currently US-approved dyes raise health concerns of varying degrees. Red 3 causes cancer in animals, and there is evidence that several other dyes also are carcinogenic. Three dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) have been found to be contaminated with benzidine or other carcinogens. At least four dyes (Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6) cause hypersensitivity reactions. Numerous microbiological and rodent studies of Yellow 5 were positive for genotoxicity. Toxicity tests on two dyes (Citrus Red 2 and Orange B) also suggest safety concerns, but Citrus Red 2 is used at low levels and only on some Florida oranges and Orange B has not been used for several years. The inadequacy of much of the testing and the evidence for carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, and hypersensitivity, coupled with the fact that dyes do not improve the safety or nutritional quality of foods, indicates that all of the currently used dyes should be removed from the food supply and replaced, if at all, by safer colorings. It is recommended that regulatory authorities require better and independent toxicity testing, exercise greater caution regarding continued approval of these dyes, and in the future approve only well-tested, safe dyes.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23026007/

[RockCreek]

3. At least some of these bans are already in place in the EU.

[womanofthehills]

7. Same companies make cleaner products for EU

American VS. European Ingredients In Children’s Food (See the comparisons!)

https://foodbabe.com/american-vs-european-ingredients-in-childrens-food-see-the-comparisons/

[RockCreek]

10. Great info, thank you!

[IronLionZion]

4. Why is FDA not doing it?

it's complicated to have varying bans by state when many products are sold nationwide.

[womanofthehills]

6. FDA to Revoke Authorization for the Use of Red No. 3 in Food and Ingested Drugs

FDA to Revoke Authorization for the Use of Red No. 3 in Food and Ingested Drugs
Constituent Update

January 15, 2025

The FDA is revoking the authorization for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 as a matter of law, based on the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The FDA is amending its color additive regulations to no longer allow for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs in response to a 2022 color additive petition. The petition requested the agency review whether the Delaney Clause applied and cited, among other data and information, two studies that showed cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No. 3 due to a rat specific hormonal mechanism. The way that FD&C Red No. 3 causes cancer in male rats does not occur in humans. Relevant exposure levels to FD&C Red No. 3 for humans are typically much lower than those that cause the effects shown in male rats. Studies in other animals and in humans did not show these effects; claims that the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and in ingested drugs puts people at risk are not supported by the available scientific information.

https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-revoke-authorization-use-red-no-3-food-and-ingested-drugs

[IronLionZion]

9. That's just one dye. The states are banning many others

if they are so dangerous, it should be nationwide.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. FDA banned Red #2 decades ago

But it is still legal in Canada.

https://www.livescience.com/35905-red-dye-no-2-truth.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/food-safety/food-additives/lists-permitted/3-colouring-agents.html

[purr-rat beauty]

8. So....uh, deregulation

Yup, we get the dyes

BUT

Deregulation opens the door for much much worse

[Cirsium]

13. RFK jr.

The connection to RFK jr., from the article:

But supporters of the measures say the “Make America Healthy Again” (Maha) movement associated with newly appointed health and human services secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, is giving fresh momentum to the efforts. Kennedy has long warned about chemical additives in food and vowed in his confirmation hearing before Congress to “scrutinize the chemical additives in our food supply”.

“There is a lot of support for these measures now for a few reasons. The most obvious one is the Maha movement,” said Laura Wakim Chapman, chair of the West Virginia senate health and human resources committee. “Viral videos and social media content is informing the public about the dangers of unnecessary food additives. I am a mother of two and care deeply about their health. I think most parents do.”

...

“I think RFK [Kennedy] is bringing to light concerns that we all hold,” said Jennifer Pomeranz, associate professor of public health policy and management at New York University. “I think a lot of legislators saw the inaction by the FDA so more people are coming to the table … tired of waiting for the federal government to do something.”

[BumRushDaShow]

14. And he'll run head-on into corporate industry

We'll see how long that lasts.

[et tu]

15. lobbys have a lot to do with it

https://www.thedailymeal.com/cook/10-most-powerful-food-lobbies-and-how-they-decide-what-s-your-plate-and-your-glass-0/