By Miyeilis Flores
04 Oct 2024, 2:44 PM EDT
Foods that contain certain types of dyes will be off the school menu in California, due to the School Food Safety Law, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, which although it will come into effect in 2028, will be implemented gradually.
These are specifically six dyes: Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Red 40 and Green 3. These types of chemicals are added to a variety of foods offered in public schools and could have negative consequences on the behavior and attention of children.
The objective of the measure is to protect children from the consumption of these additives, which can pose health risks, to create a healthier environment in schools.
Study detected relationship between the consumption of additives and children’s behavior
It was 3 years ago that reviews began regarding the effects of dyes on children’s health, when a state report was released that linked the consumption of synthetic food dyes to hyperactivity and neurobehavioral problems in certain children.
The Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Office of the California Environmental Protection Agency discovered a link between the consumption of dyes in some children without ADHD diagnoses, reports the Telemundo network. And most recently, in March, Democratic Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel introduced the bill.
The United States Department of Agriculture regulates the use of dyes. For example, the Color Additives Amendment of 1960 “included all colors, natural and synthetic, in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act,” reports the official website of the USDA.
It also clarifies that the use of color additives to deceive consumers or hide imperfections or flaws in food products is prohibited.
To market a product with this type of dyes, it must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Jesse Gabriel clarified to Telemundo that the law does not prohibit any food, it only contemplates that manufacturers replace artificial colorings in their recipes with natural alternatives.
It is not something new in the food industry to use carrot or beet juice as natural colorings, since it is a common practice for consumers in the European Union, where the use of synthetic colorings in foods and beverages is prohibited.
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