Why States Are Banning Thousands of Popular Snacks, Should Louisiana Too?

Several states nationwide have proposed banning certain food additives found in thousands of popular snacks, so should Louisiana do the same?

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You may remember California's 'Landmark Skittles Ban,' which started the conversation about harmful dyes and chemicals added to food primarily marketed to children; the list of snacks can be found below.

Additives like brominated vegetable oil and red 3 have been banned in Europe for years because they are linked to kidney, thyroid, and gastrointestinal cancer, as well as mood disorders.

Now, other states want to follow in California's footsteps but are taking it even further. They have requested that other additives and dyes like Yellow 6 and Red 40 be added just to name a few. These dyes are found in countless snacks and drinks.

Consumers recognize that the states are the only ones trying to protect them from toxic food chemicals right now

Brian Ronholm, director of food safety at Consumer Reports, explains that consumers 'want these chemicals out of food' and that they have realized the FDA cannot keep up with the research, so they have started to turn to their states to pass legislation.

What Do These Bans Mean For Louisiana?

These bans are being proposed at the state level, and at the moment, we don't have any legislation like the 'Skittles Ban'; however, Louisiana shoppers should be aware of what snacks and drinks other states are concerned about.