Illinois lawmakers proposed a bill to ban five potentially harmful food chemicals often found in unhealthy snacks, soda, and ultra-processed food, reports CBS News. The ingredients are as follows: brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye no. 3, and titanium dioxide.
"You can't eat this stuff in Europe. You can't eat this stuff in Japan, but we just jam it down our kids' throats here in the United States of America. And that's not ok," said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias.
Health officials note that these additives have been linked to adverse health problems, including reproductive issues and increased risk of cancer.
If the Illinois Food Safety Act passes, product manufacturers will have until January 1, 2027 to reformulate their products and opt for safer alternative ingredients.
Last year, on October 7, California Governor Newsom signed the California Food Safety Act into law, which banned four of the ingredients included in the Illinois bill (titanium dioxide was left out). This has caused a nationwide call to limit or remove these ingredients from food and beverage products. Full Story
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