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With the introduction of the California Food Safety Act Assembly Bill 418 which was aimed at regulating the use of food additives like Red Dye 3, California reignited the intense and ongoing debate regarding the safety and necessity of these substances in our daily diets.

Despite being banned in cosmetics by the FDA since 1990, the continued use of Red Dye 3 in food has remained a controversial and unresolved issue, prompting calls for revision by various advocacy groups and concerned individuals.

Authored by the Democratic Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel and co-sponsored by the Environmental Working Group and Consumer Reports, this bill will bypass the FDA, and call for a ban on foods containing several controversial additives, Red Dye 3.

In the media, this bill is also known as the “Skittles ban” and has become an internet sensation.

The term originated when Governor Gavin Newson showcased a packet of EU skittles, EU skittles, which don't use the banned additives, highlighting the disparity in regulations.

However, the term is a misnomer; the bill would not actually outrightly ban brands like Skittles but rather aims to phase out these additives by 2027.

While several countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and China, have already banned some of these additives, California stands as the first state in the US to officiate this ban.

New York is also considering similar legislation, which could be a game-changer.

Since companies are unlikely to produce two versions of products, once alternatives are found, they might be implemented nationally.

However, there are many contrasting opinions regarding this regulation.

The National Confectioners Association expresses concerns that this might erode consumer trust.

Frank Yiannas, a former FDA official, believes that California's decision to bypass the FDA could set a precedent, diluting national food safety efforts.

Although the FDA may seem slow in its response, the agency has already set limits on the use of many of these additives based on their studies.

Furthemore, FDA has already reviewed many of these additives and has set limits to the usage.

Nonetheless, these additives have been disallowed due to their plausible harmful nature.

For instance, brominated vegetable oil is used to maintain the citrus flavor floating on top of some beverages, but limits the usage to 15 parts per million.

However, a 2022 FDA study shows that when BVO was fed at high levels to rodents, their tissue levels of bromine increased and disrupted its hormones.

Potassium bromate is added to baked goods and tortillas to strengthen the dough.

However, according to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, potassium bromate might cause headaches, irritate lungs, and shortness of breath.

Furthermore, it could also even be categorized as a carcinogen as it could cause kidney, thyroid and gastrointestinal cancer in animals.

Propylparben is used as a preservative in packaged baked goods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

According to a research done by the European commission and various scientific communities, Propylparben could inhibit potential endocrine effects, but there is not enough evidence to fully support this nature.

Finally Red dye 3, as previously mentioned, has been known to be banned in the cosmetic industry by the FDA.

According to the Environmental Working Group’s Eat Well Guide, approximately 3,000 products,including Skittles, Nerds, and Trolli gummies, use Red Dye No.3 as an ingredient.

However, multiple studies have found that red dye 3 may cause cancer in animals when consumed at high levels.

It is also linked with hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral effects.

These are only the tip of the iceberg, however, there are still many potentially harmful additives that are still not banned.

For instance, 15 studies concluded that artificial food dyes such as red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, blue 2 are known to cause hyperactivity in children and allergic reactions.

Some may even contain contaminants that are known as cancer-causing substances.

However, these dyes are still permitted as it is only used at low levels, which is presumed to be safe.

There are yet still more research to do on these food additives to whether completely deem it harmless or harmful.

Meanwhile, consumers should be conscious of potential side effects of some food additives and be more aware when going grocery shopping, and try to aim for whole foods as it is healthier.