California one step away from banning food dyes in schools

For years, we at the Center for Science in the Public Interest have been urging the Food and Drug Administration to protect both adults and children from synthetic food dyes like Red 3, Yellow 5, and Red 40. These chemicals can cause or worsen hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in children, a finding confirmed by California's Environmental Protection Agency. While we question whether any foods need synthetic dyes, they certainly don't belong in foods offered to children in schools.

Fortunately, California continues to lead on food additives. Previous legislation signed by Governor Gavin Newsom will protect all Californians from the carcinogenic dye Red 3 and other additives by banning the dye statewide starting in 2027. And today, the California School Food Safety Act, which will ban the remaining synthetic dyes in foods offered to children in California schools, is headed to the Governor's desk for his signature.

We are grateful for the leadership of Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel and to our partners at Environmental Working Group and Consumer Reports for their leadership on the bill. We hope the FDA will eventually implement warning labels on dye-containing foods, as the European Union has required since 2010.

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Contact Info: Lisa Flores, 202-777-8368 or Jeff Cronin, 202-777-8370