California’s Latest Ban Triggers Major Shift in School Lunches

California lawmakers have taken a bold step by voting to ban certain food additives linked to behavioral problems in children from being served in school cafeterias.

This groundbreaking legislation, known as the California School Food Safety Act, targets a variety of snack foods that have become staples in many lunchrooms across the state. The ban, set to go into effect on December 31, 2027, prohibits school cafeterias from serving items like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and Twinkies, though these products can still be sold in stores, as reported by CBS News.

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BAN CHEETOS! https://t.co/jLtBymq5Zu

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The banned additives include food dyes such as Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, commonly found in snacks like Doritos, Froot Loops, Fruity Pebbles, and Jolly Ranchers.

Proponents of the ban argue that these additives are not only unnecessary but also harmful, citing studies that link them to health issues, including cancer.

Red 3, in particular, has been shown to cause cancer in animals, while Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 have been contaminated with carcinogens like benzidine, which is known to increase cancer risk according to a 2012 National Institutes of Health study.

Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, who authored the bill, believes this legislation could serve as a model for other states and even encourage food manufacturers to reconsider their use of these harmful substances.

“As a lawmaker, a parent, and someone who struggled with ADHD, I find it unacceptable that we allow schools to serve foods with additives linked to hyperactivity and neurobehavioral harms,” Gabriel stated. “This bill will empower schools to better protect the health and well-being of our kids and encourage manufacturers to stop using these harmful additives.”

The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment supports this move, highlighting their 2021 findings that synthetic food dyes can lead to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral problems in some children.

The bill’s passage is seen as a significant victory for those advocating for healthier school meals.

Tony Thurmond, California’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction, also voiced strong support for the legislation, emphasizing its importance in ensuring that school meals are safe and nutritious.

“Healthy, safe school meals are foundational to our students’ well-being and ability to learn. As someone who depended on school meals growing up, I know how critical it is that our children receive food at school that is nutritious and is never harmful,” Thurmond said.

While the bill doesn’t outright ban specific products, it targets the harmful substances within them, pushing manufacturers to rethink their ingredients.

As the bill heads to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for final approval, companies like Frito-Lay and Hostess have yet to comment on the potential impact of the legislation.