New Texas Law Requiring Warning Labels For 44 Food Additives Could Change Brands Across The U.S.

A new Texas law has been signed by Governor Greg Abbott, requiring that brands post warning labels on foods that contain one or more of 44 food dyes and additives.

What Food Additives Will Require Warning Labels In Texas?

According to the bill, the following food dyes and additives will require warning labels:

Acetylated esters of mono- and diglycerides (acetic acid ester), anisole, azodicarbonamide, butylated hydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, bleached flour, blue 1, blue 2, bromated flour, calcium bromate, canthaxanthin, certified food colors by the United States Food and Drug Administration, citrus red 2, diacetyl, diacetyl tartaric and fatty acid esters of mono- and diglycerides, dimethylamylamine, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, ficin, green 3, interesterified palm oil, interesterified soybean oil, lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propylene glycol, lye, morpholine, olestra, partially hydrogenated oil potassium aluminum sulfate, potassium bromate, potassium iodate, propylene oxide, propylparaben, red 3, red 4, red 40, sodium aluminum sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium stearyl fumarate, stearyl tartrate, synthetic trans fatty acid, thiodipropionic acid, titanium dioxide, toluene, yellow 5, and yellow 6.

Why Are These Foods Considered Potentially Dangerous?

Artificial colors can cause allergic reactions in some people and potentially have carcinogenic effects. Red 40 has also been linked to increased hyperactivity in children who already have ADHD, according to Ohio State University.

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Dough conditioners and preservatives may be carcinogenic. Some preservatives may disrupt endocrine function.

Partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats have a strong link to heart disease.

Additionally, some of these ingredients can cause digestive issues or even be corrosive in high amounts.

How Will Companies Respond To This New Mandate?

According to The Washington Post, one of four things could happen: " [a company will] reformulate its products to avoid warning labels, add the newly mandated language, stop selling certain products in Texas, or file lawsuits against the measure."

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It is unlikely a company will want to display a warning label on its product, so I believe the most likely contender is to reformulate their products, and since Texas is so massive, they may make the changes across their entire production lines.

Companies have some time to decide how to respond, as the new law applies to foods developed or copyrighted on or after Jan. 1, 2027, meaning existing food items would not have to display the warning unless they change the ingredients.