(DailyDig.com) – Experts in the field of public health are urging the US government to follow the lead of other countries by outlawing possibly harmful food additives.
The so-called “Skittles ban,” signed into law by Gavin Newsom, California Governor, on October 14, prohibits the use of four compounds linked to cancer that are present in numerous foods in the United States, such as candies, sodas, and cereals. However, there are still over a dozen additional components included in commonly consumed meals that are eaten daily.
Dr. Carolyn Williams, a registered dietitian, has argued that legislation protecting Americans from potentially dangerous food additives is long overdue. She felt it was disgraceful that a state had to prohibit certain substances prior to federal governmental agencies doing so, given the varying degrees of information about their health dangers.
The possible dangerous chemicals are not essential to the product’s function, yet they are often used since they are quicker, simpler, and cheaper. They aid in creating homogeneous and aesthetically pleasing goods, although a natural substance might be utilized instead with the same effect.
Dr. Williams hopes that additional states are going to follow California’s example, but she also recognizes the impossibility of improved federal regulation in the near future.
The state of California has banned potassium bromate because of concerns that it may cause cancer. Although it has been prohibited in some countries, including India, Europe, and China, it is still found in over a hundred goods marketed in the United States. Animal studies suggest it may be carcinogenic, and it may have effects on the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid, and kidneys.
Even if the FDA does continue to authorize the potential damaging chemicals, Dr. Williams said that studies have shown that the quantities actually found in food are far greater than the FDA standard.
Woodland Hills Democrat and bill proponent, Jesse Gabriel, emphasized that his legislation would not outright prohibit any specific products or meals; rather, it would need just modest adjustments to recipes as manufacturers shifted to safer alternative substances.
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