The future banning of Red 40 in California is a tragedy! Consumers will be affected as their favorite snacks and food will take on a different taste or will be removed from the market.
Even though the FDA has ruled that Red 40 is safe, and the last time they have reviewed it was 2019, many people have started a petition against this dye. This ban may also cause plenty confusion on food safety due to the FDA contradicting many if their food safety laws dealing with Red 40. While the law has been passed in California, this led the FDA to be pressured by many to ban it throughout the whole food industry.
This ban is said to take place in 2027, in which a democrat signed the Assembly Bill 418. Red 40 is a petroleum based dye that is found in most food and drinks. It is also found in some cosmetics. California is the first state to pass a law to ban Red 40 in the United States. Not only is Red 40 going to be banned in California, but it is also banned in Norway, Austria, United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Red 40 can cause bladder cancer, but it also causes hives and mental issues in children such as ADHD. Scientists tested Red 40 on rats and, the dye caused cancer in rats. They also found that the rats got thyroid tumors.
Consumers can take different steps to avoid these synthetic dyes by carefully reading food labels, avoiding processed foods, carefully researching fast food places before making any purchases, and sticking to fresh foods and vegetables.
The Pawprint News interviewed Neveah Prado (12) and she had a lot to say about this law that was just passed. “I do not like this ban because they are ruining all my favorite snacks, and I don’t want them to change, like they will not be the same ever again.”
The snacks she is talking about are snacks mostly everyone at Los Banos High School share and eat. These snacks in question are Hot Cheetos, Skittles, and Red Kool Aid. Changing the ingredients in these snacks can also alter the taste if they do not find a better alternative for Red 40. An alternative some companies are thinking of using is raspberry juice or pomegranate juice.
Prado then added, “I do not understand why they are banning Red 40, although I know one health concern is that it can cause cancer but can’t everything cause cancer.”
