Lawmakers in California have proposed a bill that could potentially ban Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and Takis from California schools; they argue that the companies need to modify the ingredients in their snacks if they want to continue selling in public schools.
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On Tuesday (March 12), Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) introduced A.B. 2316. The proposal arrives nearly five months after Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Food Safety Act — a piece of legislation banning artificial ingredients commonly used in the United States. The additives include blue 1, titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, and red 40, which is found in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and Takis.
In addition to red 40, A.B. 2316 would also ban public schools from serving food that contains the dyes blue 1, blue 2, green 3, yellow 5, and yellow 6, as well as titanium dioxide, which is a color agent commonly used in cosmetics and paints. Other products that could be affected by Gabriel’s new proposal include Jolly Ranchers, Sour Patch Kids, and Mountain Dew.
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According to ABC 7 News, Gabriel said, “This legislation will not ban any specific foods or products. The goal here is to encourage companies to make minor modifications to products sold in California if they want their products to be sold in California public schools and let’s be clear, that’s a big market.”
Gabriel also noted that the aforementioned ingredients have already been prohibited in Europe, noting that they have been “linked to serious health concerns including DNA damage, cancer, hyperactivity, and neurobehavioral issues from food served to students.”
Gabriel added, “California has a responsibility to protect our students from chemicals that harm children and that can interfere with their ability to learn. As a lawmaker, a parent, and someone who struggled with ADHD, I find it unacceptable that we allow schools to serve foods with additives that are linked to cancer, hyperactivity, and neurobehavioral harms. This bill will empower schools better to protect the health and wellbeing of our kids and encourage manufacturers to stop using these dangerous additives.”
According to CBS News, existing California law says that the state’s education department must uphold nutritional guidelines when serving food on campus. Free lunch and breakfast are made available to all students in kindergarten through grade 12 in the state. The current rules require schools to provide meals including fruit, vegetables, dairy, protein, or whole grain items. The rules also outline a standard set of calories, sugars, and fats in the provided meals.
Gabriel confirmed that A.B. 2316 is on its way to the Assembly Education Committee and is expected to be heard within the next month.
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