California Set to Ban Five Food Chemicals Already Prohibited in Europe

US: Bad news for candy lovers in California - Skittles, Sour Patch Kids and other sweet treats may soon be banned if a proposed law is passed. The proposed law, which aims to make a national change in food recipes, focuses on five common additives that are linked to cancer, DNA damage, and organ damage. So, say it isn't so - your favorite guilty pleasures may soon be gone from the Golden State.

Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, who represents part of Los Angeles, recently filed a bill (AB418) proposing the banning of five food additives - brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, Titanium Dioxide, Red 3 dye, and propylparaben. While three of these substances are already prohibited in the European Union, Red 3 dye is banned from cosmetic products in America.

California could be on track to become the first state to ban certain food additives if a proposed bill is passed. This would mean that products containing these additives would no longer be able to be sold in the state, or companies would have to change their product formulas. Some of the most recognizable products that could be affected include sauces made by Old El Paso, jelly beans, PEZ candy, Trident sugar-free gum, and some smaller bread brands found in America.

The new law stands to have a sweeping impact across the country - it's unlikely companies would employ different approaches in different states. Of the five additives, Titanium Dioxide has some precedent in this matter.

In 2015, a German review found that ingestion of Titanium Dioxide could lead to accumulation in the bloodstream, kidney, liver, and spleen. Fast-forward two years to 2017 when French research revealed that such build-up can increase the risk of intestinal inflammation, immune system damage, and even cancer. This prompted an EU ban on the additive from food products last year, leaving iconic confectionery brand, Skittles by Mars, struggling with replacement dyes and flavorings in certain European countries – leading to slightly different tasting rainbows.

A state that passes legislation to ban food products and beverages due to additives used to make the products has caused a stir. Manufacturers may be faced with the burden of changing the product formula for that state, which is not financially feasible for them as having one formula for each state would become quite costly. Companies could also risk losing the California market, as it is the most populous state in the country.

The big question is, if they were to change the formula, would it affect the taste of the product? If so, this could have strong repercussions on market sales. It's not as simple as just telling companies to stop using certain additives - there are many elements of production which must be addressed when making such changes.

If the resolution passes in California, companies will be faced with some tough decisions. We'll just have to wait and see.