No Tasting the Rainbow? Bill May Ban Skittles, Other Candy in New York
You may not be able to taste the rainbow in New York. Skittles, Starburst, Ho Hos, and other candies and snack cakes could soon be a thing of the past.
Lawmakers in the Empire State are following California, where the Assembly just approved a bill to ban key ingredients in certain candies.
Candy Chemical Ban
Senator Brian Kavanagh introduced legislation to prohibit certain food additives and food coloring beginning January 1, 2025.
- Brominated vegetable oil
- Potassium bromate
- Propylparabens
- Red dye 3
- Titanium dioxide
The Food additives are used in candies like Skittles, Starburst, Hot Tamales, Peeps and Candy Corn as well as sweet treats like Little Debbie snack cakes. They often enhance shelf life but studies show they can be linked to health issues including damage to the nervous system, hormones, DNA, immune system, and reproductive system in women. Some may even cause cancer.
Bill Opposition
National Confectioners Association opposes the bill and says chocolate and candy are safe to enjoy.
“There is no evidence to support banning the ingredients listed in the bill. The ingredients that would be banned under this proposal have all been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food safety is the number one priority for U.S. confectionery companies, and we do not use any ingredients in our products that do not comply with the FDA’s strictest safety standards.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved all the additives at certain levels that lawmakers are looking to ban.
The California bill now moves on to the state Senate for consideration. The New York bill is currently in the Agriculture Senate Committee.
