New Texas Law Will Require Warning Labels for Food Additives

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed a law that mandates the first-ever warning labels on foods like chips and candies that contain dyes and additives not allowed in other countries.

“The law mandates disclosures for more than 40 ingredients, including food dyes and additives commonly used in food processing to help with texture, taste or shelf life,” according to AP News.

Let’s dig deeper into what this law means and how it impacts families and communities.

What Does This Law Entail?

The newly signed law will require foods made with any of more than 40 dyes or additives to have warning labels starting Jan. 1, 2027.

The labels will include verbiage saying the products’ contain ingredients “not recommended for human consumption” in Australia, Canada, Europe, or the U.K.

Among the 44 named ingredients are:

• partially hydrogenated oils (PHO)
• red dye No. 4
• red dye No. 3
• calcium bromate
• sodium aluminum sulfate

Some of the chemicals included in the 44 ingredients are allowed in other countries, including Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2, butylated hydroxyanisole, or BHA, butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT, diacetyl, and others, AP News reports.

While Texas is the first to propose a warning label, it isn’t the first state to ban certain dyes and additives, with California and West Virginia doing the same.

How Will This Law Impact Food Production?

This law aligns with President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again Commission.

“The Texas law ramps up the pressure on food companies to remove artificial dyes and additives, part of a ‘Make America Healthy Again’ movement championed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,” according to Food Dive.

The law also could cause issues for food companies.

Some say the measure will “force food companies to decide whether to reformulate products to avoid the labels, add the newly required language, pull certain products from Texas shelves or oppose the measure in court,” AP News reports.

“The food industry said the ingredients included in the Texas law have been rigorously studied for safety, warning that the labels are unnecessary and could increase costs for manufacturers,” according to Food Dive.

How Does Ultra-Processed Food Impact Health?

Researchers continue to study the impact that ultra-processed food (UPF) on health and chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

“While research has been limited, UPFs are increasingly being linked to cardiovascular disease and other health problems,” according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

While it’s evident that overall health is affected by processed foods, warning labels can further help consumers make informed decisions.

For example, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed the requirement of front-of-package nutrition labels on foods and drinks that would advise consumers on saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars content.

“Research has shown that requiring food label warnings can help steer consumers toward healthier choices and prompt industry to remove concerning ingredients,” AP News reports.

Health experts have urged “removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies indicating they can cause neurobehavioral problems, including hyperactivity and attention issues, in some children,” AP News reports.

“This represents a big win for Texas consumers and consumers overall,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports.

Knowing The Health of Your Community

Nutrition and what we choose to eat play a major role in our overall health.

But what about the health of your community?

Learn more by downloading a Salud America! Health Report Card for your city!

Enter your county name and get auto-generated local data with interactive maps and comparative gauges on several health indicators. This can help you visualize and explore local issues in education, housing, transportation, food, health, and more.

See how your county stacks up compared to the rest of your state and nation.

Then email the Report Card to local leaders to raise awareness, include the data in a presentation or grant proposal, or share it on social media to drive healthy changes in your community!

GET YOUR HEALTH REPORT CARD!