New laws could prohibit Gatorade, M&M, Froot Loops and more popular snacks
States work to protect people from potentially dangerous food additives.
Your favorite treats could be in trouble. Country officials are currently trying to protect Americans from certain chemicals that can be present in some of the most popular snacks. According to recent reports, Gatorade, M&M and Froot Loops are only risky foods, because new laws aim to prohibit several potentially harmful ingredients.
In a April 8 release , Consumer Reports (CR) indicated that there are at least 13 food additives targeted by the laws of the states at the moment: azodicarbonamide, bromé vegetable oil (BVO), butylé hydroxyanisole (BHA), the Potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, colmetry n ° 3, red dye n ° 40, yellow color n ° 5, yellow color n ° 6, blue color n ° 1, blue color n ° 2 and green color n ° 3.
Most of these chemicals have already been prohibited In Europe, but are still allowed to be used in food sold in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) thanks to a "legal gap, which allows food to be classified as" generally recognized as safe (fat ) "" According to the environmental working group (EWG).
"The FDA system to ensure that food additives are safe is broken," Brian Ronholm said the Director of Food Security at CR, in a press release. "There is no confusion of consumers on this question - they want these chemicals to come out of food. But when they see that the FDA has not been able to follow the latest research and see that the Industry already uses substitutes in other countries, they recognize that states are the only ones to try to protect them from toxic food chemicals at the moment. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
Gatorade products used for contain bvo Until Pepsico has agreed to remove the additive in 2013, but several brand products still include chemical concerns such as colors of different colors. Cereals like Froke loops And candies like M&M also contain Several dyes which are targeted by the new laws, according to the EWG.
"Many of these widely used chemicals are associated with major health misdeeds, including an increased risk of cancer, development damage and hormonal disturbance," said the health defense organization On his website .
Other popular snacks that contain some of them food additives Include skittles, nerds, Swedish fish, lucky charms, hot cheetos and flammin daritos, the New York Post reported.
But where are these snacks in danger exactly? Read the rest to find out more about the different states that push laws to prohibit these chemicals in popular snacks.
In relation: Fans of soda diet, take caution: a new study finds a risk of serious heart disease .
1 California
Last year, California became the first state to prohibit the use of certain food additives. Governor Gavin Newson signed the California Food Safety Act In law on October 7, cr. It prohibits four chemicals from being used as additives in food and drinks sold or made in the state: BVO, potassium bromate, propyl paraben and red color n ° 3.
"The signing of this law is a positive step on these four food additives until the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) returns and establishes national security levels for these additives", Newsom said in a press release at the time.
But the law will not come into force before January 2027, in order to give companies time to reformulate their products to comply with the new state regulations.
In relation: Candy Lovers, take care: the new law prohibits the ingredient in the skittles, the nerds, and more .
2 new York
On the east coast, New York makes similar movements. State legislators have recently introduced Two new invoices Taking certain food chemicals on March 5, EWG reported.
The first bill, the Senate bill 6055A / Bill 6424a assembly, aims to adopt a ban on the state level on seven of the additives: bromate of potassium, propyl paraben, titanium dioxide, bvo, dye red no .
The second bill, the Senate bill 08615 / Bill 9295 of the Assembly, does not offer any outright ban, but seeks to oblige State companies to disclose when they add one of these chemicals with food and drinks considered fatty.
"New Yorkers deserve the highest level of protection regarding the food safety we eat," said the senator Brian Kavanagh , who helped present the bills, in a press release. "The law of the state has long included the power to regulate what is happening in our food, but New York has generally postponed the federal government; such a deference is not justified with regard to these seven additives, which present Significant health risks ... This legislation will ensure transparency and allow a public examination of the safety of food chemicals.
In relation: Walgreens and Target Face Cream has a cancer chemical, research affirmations .
3 Illinois
Illinois is also approaching potentially to prohibit certain food additives. A Invoice targeting Titanium dioxide, BVO, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye n ° 3 has just passed to the State Senate on April 18 and is now heading to the room, WGN-TV reported.
If it passes, this "measure would prohibit specific and dangerous food additives to be used in the manufacture, delivery, distribution or sale of food products", the Senator of the Illinois office Willie Preston , which presented the bill at the end of last year, said in a media statement.
4 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is the last state to introduce legislation against these food additives. A bipartite group of state legislators presented two invoices On March 19, which aims to ban a total of nine toxic chemicals, EWG reported.
The first bill, H.B. 2116, seeks to adopt a prohibition at the level of the state of six concerning food dyes: red dyes n ° 3 and 40, yellow dyes n ° 5 and 6 and blue colors n ° 1 and 2. The second bill, H.B. 2117, works to do the same for three other chemicals: potassium bromate, BVO and BHA.