A bill to prohibit the use of five common food additives continues swift passage through the California legislature. The bill, AB 418, cleared the Senate Health Committee in late June. The bill is now subject to a Senate Environmental Quality Committee hearing.
Brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye No. 3 and titanium dioxide are subject to prohibition in the state. If passed, the law would go into effect Jan. 1, 2027—a recent change from the original date of Jan. 1, 2025. Manufacturing, selling, delivering, distributing, holding, or offering for sale a product that contains any of these substances would be punished by a civil penalty.
The bill's author, Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, stresses these ingredients are banned in Europe. "(This bill) will not remove any products from the shelves, nor will it ban any product that California consumers enjoy," he said. "Products like Skittles continue to be sold in stores across Europe using safe alternatives."
A coalition of diverse food industry associations opposed the bill and sent a letter to Assemblymember Jim Wood, chair of Assembly Committee on Health. "Scientific regulators work through these processes and make determinations to establish recognized safe thresholds. Then, when appropriate and supported by peer-reviewed scientific evaluations, they require additional labels or removal from the market. Additionally, our comprehensive system requires ingredient labeling allowing consumers to make informed decisions," the letter said.
Titanium dioxide and red dye No. 3 are currently being scrutinized by FDA, but comments on both are now closed. The request to revoke the color additive listing is under review.