California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law a bill that bans the use of red dye No. 40 and five other chemicals from use in foods served at public schools.
On September 28, the Golden State became the first in the country to pass a law forbidding the use of the ingredients found in some popular cereals, ice creams, drinks, candy, ice pops, cheese-flavored chips, jellies and more, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental health organization that cosponsored the law with Consumer Reports. The law will be enacted on December 31, 2027.
Known as the California School Food Safety Act and introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel in February, Assembly Bill 2316 prohibits a school district, county superintendent of schools or charter school with grades kindergarten through 12th from offering foods or beverages containing red dye No. 40, yellow dyes Nos. 5 and 6, blue dyes Nos. 1 and 2, and green dye No. 3. Some of these dyes are found in some, but not all, products under the Cheetos, Doritos, Skittles, M&Ms, Starburst, Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Cap’n Crunch, Ruffles and Takis brands