Proposed bill would ban sale of Skittles in California
SACRAMENTO - Soon, Californians may no longer be able to "taste the rainbow" as a proposed food safety bill could force candies like Skittles to change their ingredients or become banned in the state.
The bill, Assembly Bill (AB) 418, was introduced in February by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) and aims to bar food ingredients that have been linked to cancer-causing chemicals such as Red Dye No. 3, Titanium Dioxide, Potassium Bromate, Brominated Vegetable Oil, or Propyl Paraben.
According to Gabriel, the chemicals are banned for consumption in the European Union based on studies that, he says, cause myriad health problems that, as well as causing cancer, include behavioral issues in kids, human reproductive harm, and damage to the immune system.
"Californians shouldn't have to worry that the food they buy in their neighborhood grocery store might be full of dangerous additives or toxic chemicals," said Gabriel, who chairs the state's Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection. "This bill will correct for a concerning lack of federal oversight and help protect our kids, public health, and the safety of our food supply."
Supporters of the bill believe that it will help protect kids and overall public health.
If enacted, this bill would make California the first state in the U.S. to ban the use of these chemicals in processed foods. The measure is expected to be heard by the committee in the coming weeks.