(TNS) — Following in the footsteps of other states including California, two Pennsylvania legislators are taking aim at what they say are harmful ingredients used by food manufacturers.
On Tuesday, state reps. Natalie Mihalek, a Republican from Allegheny and Washington counties, and Melissa Shusterman, a Democrat from Chester County, introduced two bills that would ban certain additives and dyes in products sold in Pennsylvania.
The legislation mostly calls out snack food manufacturers and links the ingredients to health problems. The additives and dyes are found in a host of foods including candies, sodas, baked goods, cereals and other beverages.
“We are being fed inferior products. What is going on with our food? Why are the ingredients so complicated? Why am I feeding my kids a cocktail of chemicals when these same products can be made without them?” Mihalek said.
Under her bill, a state-wide ban would eliminate six food dyes including red dyes No. 3 and 40, yellow dyes No. 5 and 6, along with blue dyes No. 1 and 2. Mihalek said the dyes are linked to a higher risk of cancer, hyperactivity and other behavioral difficulties in children.
Shusterman’s bill would create a state-level ban on potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and BHA, all ingredients she said are linked to higher cancer risk and harm to nervous, reproductive and endocrine systems.
Calling for transparency, Shusterman said manufacturers are tricking consumers.
“The citizens of Pa. should be able to trust the food at the grocery store without worrying about health risks contained in the additives and foods, and scouring the fine print of labels,” she said.
The bills do face opposition. The National Confectioners Association, which represents candy manufacturers, called out Mihalek and Shusterman for sharing misinformation and asked the Federal Food & Drug Administration to step up.
“Enough is enough — Pennsylvania is the latest in a series of states that is proposing to dismantle our national food safety system in an emotionally-driven campaign that lacks scientific backing,” said Chris Gindlesperger, NCA’s senior vice president of Public Affairs and Communications.
He added the FDA is the only institution charged with overseeing the use of food additives and ingredients.
Several states are following the lead of California, where in October Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a Food Safety Act into law. The act goes into effect in 2027 and prohibits the manufacturing, distribution and sale of food and beverages that contain brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye 3.
Since then, Missouri, Washington, New York and Illinois have introduced bills to ban certain food additives, according to Food Safety Magazine.
