this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2023
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The food and drink additives, which have been linked to health issues, could be removed from products nationwide as a result of the new law.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that bans four food additives linked to health problems, the first time a state has outlawed chemicals allowed by the Food and Drug Administration.

Starting in 2027, California will prohibit red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben after Newsom, a Democrat, signed Assembly Bill 418 into law Saturday. All four ingredients have been made illegal in the European Union and some other parts of the world, but they can be found in commonly sold items in the U.S., such as some brands of orange soda, icing, hamburger rolls, candies and processed foods.

The chemicals have been associated with issues from hyperactivity in children to cancer.

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[–] [email protected] 117 points 1 year ago (4 children)

What's sad to me is seeing that they are banned in other countries and these companies have already adjusted their recipes for those countries. They chose to keep the more dangerous chemicals in the US because they weren't forced to change. The US seems to not care about it's citizens

[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 year ago

Yep. They're banned here in Canada so a shit ton of American food is just illegal here across the border. It's kind of insane that it went on this long. The whole "Red M&Ms are illegal in Europe" thing has been known for a while.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Companies, like people, always act in self interest, so it makes sense.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In the long run out seems like you could sell more shit if your customers are alive but it would cut into quarterly profits and that's what really matters.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

They don't care about the company's future beyond their own personal gains from it.

Tbh, I doubt that they would care in the slightest if the entire company closed the day after they left/retired. It seems like almost all CEOs have that target these days.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

The US absolutely doesn't care about its citizens.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

capitalism is so cool. you'd think it'd be easier to just have one recipe for everywhere but noo

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Oh, easier, sure. But the spreadsheet says!!

[–] [email protected] 94 points 1 year ago (3 children)

The FDA banned Red Dye 3 ~30 years ago... for cosmetics. Can't put it in makeup, but food? ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Gotta wonder how much money it took to make the FDA look the other way.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

It's surprisingly cheap to buy politicians and officials, like a couple of grand would do it

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (3 children)
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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That's fine. Red Peeps are an abomination unto the lord. The one true Peep is the yellow Peep.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Had to Google these:

Potassium bromate is in flour and baked goods.

Brominated vegetable oil is in certain sodas.

Propylparaben is in certain packaged snacks like trail mix and muffins

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Potassium Bromate is used in many industrial baking products, it strengthens gluten. This is important commercially because it gives a stronger bread product in a shorter time. The regular flour you buy for home use does not contain it, though some 'bread mixes' have, at least previously.

It's great that it is being banned, it should have been a long time ago.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

It's sad when even China bans it before us.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It was found to give rats tumors. So cancer risk.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

At what dosage/concentration for how long though. I’ve seen studies like this with rat tumors. But in a few I remember, you’d have to consume an inhumanly impossible amount daily for years to be equivalent to what they were forcing on rats.

Either way, I’m all for less toxic shit in the food supply.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

So the ingredients have been broken down for us, but if we out them back together Red Dye #3 does have proven strange effects in children. (Adults? I dont personally know).

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Brominated Vegetable Oil is one of the top ingredients in Mountain Dew, and I wouldn't doubt that Red Dye No. 3 is in the LiveWire version.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

They stopped using it in 2020 in all PepsiCo products. So at least that's a move in the right direction.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

About time. My wife was floored by all the weird-colored shit in the US. It's also why some of my childhood guilty pleasure snacks are banned for sale as-is here

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I was hoping potassium bromate was on there. Even China has banned it.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You know a food additive is bad when the country that's known for gutter oil and fake eggs also finds this ingredient unsafe

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Don't forget the plastic rice.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)
[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

Imagine if the FDA did its job instead of forcing individual states to do it for them. California doesn’t always get things right, but god damn is this a massive W.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

Worth noting the EU probably didn't "make" them illegal.

The US requires a substance to be proven dangerous to be banned from use in food substances, the EU requires it to be proven safe to be allowed for use in food substances.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But…. What about… love potion #9?

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It makes you kiss cops. I don't recommend it.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Well that’s why it should be banned, yeah.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

On the other hand, you do have a chance of a relationship with Sandra Bullock, so there's highlights and lowlights.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Newsom gonna have carpal tunnel in his wrist after all this signing he's been doing lately.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Funny enough I used to be allergic to red dye as a kid as it made my skin break out

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

That reminds me - are there viable alternatives to each of these?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

I don't know about the rest, but red dye there is, and one of those includes just not using it. Dye is a marketing tool that isn't necessary for the product.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Red Dye #3 is not commonly used in the United States anymore. Instead, Red Dye #40 is used and works just fine as a safe replacement.

Brominated Vegetable Oil is used to emulsify flavor oils into water and is commonly used in citrus soft drinks. Sucrose Acetate Isobutyrate and Glycerol Ester of Wood Rosin are both be used for the same purpose.

Potassium Bromide is added to flour to strengthen dough, allowing for a greater rise during baking. It appears that Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) can replace much of its use.

Propylparaben is an antifungal preservative that is used in packaged baked goods to prevent mold. There are other preservatives that can be used, but it sounds like parabens are the most effective for preserving non-acidic foods. I assume that propylparaben will be replaced by some other paraben.

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