California natives have many options for food and snacks — a convenience store can be found nearly every two miles, if not less, selling brands such as Frito Lay’s best Flamin Hot products. However, Assembly Bill 2316 aims to ban the products from being sold on public school campuses after research revealed that the artificial colors used to dye them have been linked to neurobehavioral disorders. AB 2316 aims to ban snacks containing six synthetic dyes and the coloring agent titanium dioxide. If these chemicals affect young children and their ability to learn, saying goodbye to the super bright colors that give that classic pop to snacks in the U.S. shouldn’t be difficult, especially considering the consequences.
These artificial colorings are considered harmful to developing young minds and have been linked to negative changes in neurotransmitters, resulting in neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD, memory loss and even cancer. According to the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), the current levels for safe intake of synthetic food dyes established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not sufficiently protect children. These levels of artificial dyes do not reflect updated research and have not been revised in decades.
In the past twenty years, the diagnosis of ADHD has increased from 6.1% to 10.2%, and concerns about these increasing rates called for the California Legislatures to order the OEHHA to conduct an assessment of the synthetic food dyes in question. They found evidence to support that these artificial colors are linked to adverse neurobehavioral effects in some children. Children have been found to vary in their sensitivity to these food dyes, and not every child experiences negative effects.
Five months ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the California Food and Safety Act, which outlawed brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye 3. These substances have been linked to various health deficits, from memory loss to cancer. This bill also bans the sale of any products containing these four food additives as of Jan. 1, 2027, giving the brands sufficient time to revise their recipes. Just two weeks ago, A.B. 2316 was amended in assembly. This bill bans the sale of any products containing prohibited ingredients on public school campuses during hours of education.
Although every child does not experience negative effects from these food dyes, the people who do deserve to be protected. Even Gabriel, the Assembly member who proposed 2316, and his child were both diagnosed with ADHD at a young age. These effects are likely from exposure to these additives and artificial colors. This rapid rise in neurobehavioral disorders is alarming. It seems as though more and more children are affected than the children that are not. Leaving these recipes as they are is clearly not an option, considering what is at stake if we feed children food dyes that affect their ability to learn. This could lead to low self-esteem and volatile frustration, which lead to anxiety and depression.
Considering the outdated research by the FDA and the evidence found concerning the neurological effects these harmful food additives and synthetic dyes have on the development of young minds, consumers should have no qualms about revising. This is especially true considering that the issue could be resolved simply by using natural colors from beet juice, pomegranate or turmeric. Certain brands already do so, such as Black Forest Gummy Bears, YumEarth and UNREAL.
Opponents of the bill claim that the California Food and Safety Act and AB 2316 are emotionally driven campaigns that aim to dismantle national food safety systems one state at a time. Organizations such as the National Confectioners Association, which has attacked the bill, benefit from defending the reputation of these large corporations and would rather help them continue to sell the candies containing these dyes. The priority of the FDA should not be the interests of the companies who sell these brands or any profiteers. The FDA must revise its standards, and these most recent bills draw closer to that achievement.
