California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill on Saturday prohibiting the sale of food containing four chemicals commonly found in cereals, candy and soft drinks.
The four ingredients — brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye No. 3 — are already banned in the European Union due to research linking them to cancer, reproductive issues and other health problems.
The passage of the legislation, AB 418, is a “huge step in our effort to protect children and families in California from dangerous and toxic chemicals in our food supply,” Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, who authored the bill, told the Los Angeles Times.
But food manufacturers are crying foul over the ban, blaming the state and the Food and Drug Administration for confusing people with an inconsistent set of food regulations.
“California is once again making decisions based on soundbites rather than science. Governor Newsom’s approval of this bill will undermine consumer confidence and create confusion around food safety,” the National Confectioners Association, an industry trade group, said in a statement.
“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 added.
“This is a slippery slope that the FDA could prevent by engaging on this important topic. We should be relying on the scientific rigor of the FDA in terms of evaluating the safety of food ingredients and additives.”
A similar bill is making its way through the New York legislature: Assembly Bill A6424 would ban the same four chemicals plus titanium dioxide.
The companies behind several major brands — including Coke, Pepsi, Gatorade and Panera — have voluntarily stopped using the additives over worries about their effect on human health. But some food makers continue to use them.
Red dye No. 3, for example, is still employed by Just Born Quality Confections to add the colors pink and purple to their marshmallow Peeps candy, according to Consumer Reports.
And propylparaben and potassium bromate are commonly added to baked goods.
The new California law takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, imposing fines of up to $10,000 for violations.
“This is a milestone in food safety, and California is once again leading the nation,” said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, which supported the bill along with Consumer Reports.
It’s probable that the law will affect food supplies across the country because of California’s mammoth economy, which could prompt food manufacturers to produce just one version of their product, rather than separate ones for each state.