New York state officials are moving one step closer to banning seven popular food additives that have been linked to cancer and behavioral problems.
State Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assemblywoman Dr. Anna Kelles on Tuesday introduced two bills calling for a ban on seven ingredients found in processed foods such as candy, cereal, soda and bread.
The substances on the cutting board are red dye #3, propylparaben, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide, and BHA.
While the first bill, A6424A, would eliminate those ingredients in New York state, the second, S6055B, would require companies to notify the state when they introduce chemicals into foods without being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration. Drugs (FDA).
The proposed legislation comes months after California became the first state to ban red dye #3, propylparaben, BVO and potassium bromate in legislation called the “Bouting Ban.”
New York State Senator Brian Kavanagh (left) and Assemblywoman Dr. Anna Kelles (center) 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 authority to regulate what goes into our foods, but New York has generally ceded control to the federal government; such deference is not justified with respect to these seven additives, which pose significant health risks.
‘Nor should we bow to the secrecy of the federal process regarding new chemicals that food companies add to our foods without any public disclosure or review by the FDA.
“This legislation will ensure transparency and allow public scrutiny of the chemical safety of food.”
Several medical experts, including pediatricians, expressed support for the bills.
Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that focuses 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 foods and commonly consumed beverages.
“The FDA also fails to adequately monitor and review newly introduced food chemicals when companies exploit secrecy loopholes.”
Jessica Hernandez, policy director at EWG, noted that “99 percent of new food chemicals are tested by industry scientists, not the FDA.”
He added: ‘The EWG strongly supports these bills that would increase transparency and ban seven chemicals commonly used in food.
‘It’s up to states like New York to keep us safe. You can have the food you want without the chemicals you hate.’
The substances on the cutting board are red dye #3, propylparaben, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide, and BHA.
Ingredients that could be banned are prevalent in ultra-processed foods and have been associated with a number of medical problems.
BVO often appears in diet and citrus sodas to prevent the ingredients in fruit-flavored sodas from separating.
The substance is made from plants and studies have shown a link to damage to the body’s nervous system after prolonged exposure.
It has also been linked to the development of chronic headaches, memory loss, and impaired balance. It was previously in the Mountain Dew soft drink until parent company Pepsi removed the ingredient in 2020.
Titanium dioxide is found in many sweets and treats. It is a substance that has been shown to cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat.
And red dye number 3 is responsible for the bright red colors in candies like Skittles and lollipops.
Studies show that Red No.3 at high doses is strongly linked to cancer in laboratory animals and has been linked to behavioral problems in children.
The United States banned it in cosmetic products in the 1990s, but it remains in many food products still sold in the United States.
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A pair of studies in 2016 found that it was found in more than one in 10 candies in the U.S. and that more than 80 percent of children under two years old had consumed it in the previous two weeks.
Potassium bromate is a chemical compound commonly found in bread in the United States. It is added to dough to make it stronger and improve growth.
But the ingredient, which has been banned in the European Union, China and India due to its dangerous health impact, has been shown to cause irritation to the nose, throat and lungs.
It has also been shown in laboratory tests to cause the formation of kidney and thyroid tumors in rats.
Propylparaben occurs as a natural substance in plants and some insects. Is It is typically used in a variety of water-based cosmetics and personal care products, as well as as a food additive.
However, the substance has been shown to cause endocrine disruption and reproductive problems.
Azodicarbonamide is a chemical compound approved by the FDA for use as a whitening agent and is used to strengthen and improve dough elasticity in cereal flour and bread dough.
It is sometimes called the “yoga mat” chemical because it is widely used in foamed plastics. The additive is banned in Europe and Australia.
While not classified as a carcinogen, some case reports and epidemiological studies in humans have produced evidence that the compound can induce asthma and respiratory symptoms, as well as skin irritation.
BHA is a synthetic petrochemical that is widely used as a preservative in cereals and other dry products.
BHA is considered a carcinogen and has been shown to promote tumor growth and impair 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 behavioral problems in children, damage DNA, and even increase the risk of cancer do not belong in our food supply.”
Dr Kelles, who is also a nutritional epidemiologist, told Albany media: “There is deep scientific evidence that the chemicals on this list cause harm.
‘If we have alternatives and we know they are more effective, why do we allow them to be added to our food for the benefit of corporations?
“They are unnecessary and harmful.”
Dr. Kelles said the second bill is crucial to increasing transparency: “We’re just saying they need to give us those reports and make them public.”
“For our foods to be the cause of diseases that we know are on the rise and not being able to do anything about it because we don’t know what chemicals are causing them is profoundly 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, nutritious foods are crucial for child development.
“The AAP urges New York to pass these bills without delay and ban these toxic substances.”
Despite the support, the bills have also been met with criticism.
The National Confectioners Association, which represents candy companies, said: “The U.S. food system is the envy of the world, and the FDA is fulfilling its responsibility to ensure it remains that way, which means that state legislatures should set aside these science-based regulatory decisions.” to the experts.’
“Usurping FDA authority only creates a patchwork of inconsistent, state-by-state requirements that drive up food costs, create confusion around food safety, and erode consumer trust.”
‘There is no plausible basis for many of the arguments put forward in support of the proposed ban on FDA-approved food additives. This type of reckless language destroys consumer trust in our food system, which is the safest in the world.’