New York state officials have moved one step closer to banning seven popular food additives linked to cancer and behavioral problems.
Senator Brian Kavanagh and MP Dr Anna Kelles introduced two bills on Tuesday calling for the ban of seven ingredients found in processed foods such as sweets, cereals, soft drinks and bread.
The substances on the chopping block are red dye No. 3, propyl paraben, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide and BHA.
While the first bill, A6424A, would eliminate these ingredients in New York State, the second, S6055B, would require companies to notify the state when they introduce chemicals into food without being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). ).
The proposed legislation comes months after California became the first state to ban red dye No. 3, propyl paraben, BVO and potassium bromate in legislation dubbed the “Skittles ban.”
New York State Senator Brian Kavanagh (on stage) and Assemblywoman Dr. Anna Kelles (to his left) introduced two bills to ban seven food additives
Senator Kavanagh said, “New Yorkers deserve the highest level of protection when it comes to the safety of the food we eat.
“State law has long included the power to regulate what goes into our food, but New York has generally deferred to the federal government; such deference is not justified with regard to these seven additives, which pose significant health risks.
“Nor should we resign ourselves to the secrecy of the federal process regarding new chemicals that food companies add to our food without any public disclosure or FDA review.
“This legislation will ensure transparency and enable public scrutiny of the safety of food chemicals.”
Several medical experts, including pediatricians, expressed support for the bills.
Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization focused on environmental health and food additives, said, “The Food and Drug Administration has failed to protect New Yorkers and other Americans from seven dangerous food additives used in commonly consumed foods and beverages.
“The FDA also fails to adequately monitor or review newly introduced food chemicals when companies exploit loopholes that allow secrecy.”
Jessica Hernandez, policy director at EWG, noted that “99 percent of new food chemicals are tested by industry scientists, not the FDA.”
She added, “EWG strongly supports these bills that would increase transparency and ban seven chemicals commonly used in foods.
“It’s up to states like New York to keep us safe. You can have the food you want without the chemicals you hate.”
Jessica Hernandez of the Environmental Working Group (left) and Jensen Jose of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (right) both expressed support for the bills
The substances on the chopping block are red dye No. 3, propyl paraben, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide and BHA.
The ingredients that could be banned are common in ultra-processed foods and have been linked to a host of medical problems.
BVO is often found in diet and citrus soft drinks to prevent ingredients in fruit-flavored soft drinks from separating.
The substance is made from plants and research has shown a link between damage to the body’s nervous system after long-term exposure.
It has also been linked to the development of chronic headaches, memory loss and imbalance. It was previously in the soft drink Mountain Dew until parent company Pepsi removed the ingredient in 2020.
Titanium dioxide is found in many candies and candies. It is a substance that has been shown to cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat.
And red dye No. 3 is responsible for bright red colors in candies like cones and lollipops.
Research shows that Red No.3 in high doses is strongly associated with cancer in laboratory animals and with behavioral problems in children.
The US banned it from cosmetic products in the 1990s, but it is still in many food products still sold in the US.
Your browser does not support iframes.
A number of 2016 studies found that it was in more than one in 10 candies in the US and that more than 80 percent of children under the age of two had consumed it in the previous two weeks.
Potassium bromate is a chemical compound commonly found in bread in the US. It is added to the dough to make it stronger and improve rising.
But the ingredient, which is banned in the European Union, China and India due to its dangerous health effects, has been shown to cause nose, throat and lung irritation.
Laboratory tests have also shown that it causes kidney and thyroid tumors in rats.
Propylparaben occurs as a natural substance in plants and some insects. It is typically used in a variety of water-based cosmetics and personal care products, as well as a food additive.
However, the substance has been shown to cause hormone disruptions and reproductive problems.
Azodicarbonamide is a chemical compound approved by the FDA for use as a bleaching agent and is used to strengthen and improve dough elasticity in grain flour and bread dough.
It is sometimes called the “yoga mat” chemical because it is commonly used in foamed plastics. The additive is banned in Europe and Australia.
Although not classified as a carcinogen, some case reports and epidemiological studies in humans have shown evidence that the substance can cause asthma and respiratory symptoms, as well as skin irritation.
BHA is a synthetic petrochemical commonly used as a preservative in grains and other dry goods.
BHA is considered a carcinogen and has been shown to promote tumor growth and worsen blood clotting. It also acts as an endocrine disruptor and is associated with the underdevelopment of the reproductive system.
Dr. Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist at EWG, said, “Toxic chemicals that can cause behavior problems in children, damage DNA and even increase the risk of cancer have no place in our food supply.”
Dr. Kelles, who is also a nutritional epidemiologist, told the media in Albany: “There is deep scientific evidence that the chemicals on this list cause harm.
“If we have alternatives and we know those alternatives are more effective, why do we allow them to be added to our food for corporate profit?
“They are unnecessary and they are harmful.”
Dr. Kelles said the second bill is crucial to increasing transparency: “We’re just saying you need to give us those reports and make them public.”
“For our food itself to cause the diseases we know are on the rise and for us to do nothing about it because we don’t know those chemicals are is completely and simply irresponsible.”
Dr. Charles Moon, a pediatrician at Montefiore Children’s Hospital in the Bronx and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), said, “Safe and nutritious food is crucial to children’s development.
“The AAP urges New York to pass these bills without delay and ban these toxic substances.”
Despite the support, the bills also met with criticism.
The National Confectioners Association, which represents candy makers, said: “The American food system is the envy of the world, and the FDA is fulfilling its responsibility to ensure it remains that way — which means state lawmakers must abandon these science-based regulatory decisions . to the experts.’
“Using FDA authority does nothing but create a patchwork of inconsistent state-by-state requirements that increase food costs, create confusion around food safety, and undermine consumer confidence.”
“There is no plausible basis for many of the arguments made in support of the proposed ban on FDA-approved food additives. This type of reckless language destroys consumer confidence in our food system, which is the safest in the world.”