NY & CA lawmakers demand state government protect families’ health, pass food transparency reform

Amid slow-moving reform and rampant gaps in federal food safety regulation, doctors, health advocates, and New York and California lawmakers are urging the passage of landmark food safety legislation to ban harmful additives and mandate industry transparency.

Yesterday, New York and California lawmakers and leading public health advocates joined the Center for Science in the Public Interest for a virtual press conference (recording here) supporting Albany's landmark Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act (S1239E/A1556E), sponsored by Senator Kavanagh and Assemblymember Kelles, and Sacramento's Food Additive Safety and Transparency Act (AB 2034), sponsored by Assemblymember Addis, amid rampant gaps in federal food safety regulation. Both bills take aim at a longstanding federal loophole that currently lets food and beverage companies self-certify their products as "generally recognized as safe" aka GRAS without adequate FDA oversight.

HHS Secretary Kennedy Jr. and former FDA Commissioner Dr. Kessler recently affirmed that food giants are hijacking the GRAS loophole to introduce harmful chemicals into the nation's food supply, many of which are already banned throughout the European Union. In addition to mandating new transparency requirements for chemicals that have bypassed the FDA's safety review, A1556E targets the use of Red No. 3, potassium bromate, and propylparaben in foods sold in New York, while AB 2034 would automatically deem cancer-linked additives as unsafe for use in California.

"For too long, the federal government has failed to protect families from harmful chemicals in our food, allowing corporations to exploit the "Generally Recognized As Safe" loophole without meaningful independent oversight. Even among the small number of chemicals we know about, an unacceptable share has been linked to serious health harms, including cancer, endocrine disruption, and reproductive harm. Many have already been banned in other states and countries due to their toxicity. This legislation brings transparency and accountability to that broken process by requiring companies to disclose the safety analyses they have already conducted using existing, publicly available scientific data. It allows regulators and the public to evaluate the same evidence companies rely on when determining whether a chemical is safe, and removes a set of well-documented harmful additives that should not be in our food supply in the first place. This is about accountability. If companies stand behind the safety of what they produce, they should be willing to show the evidence. New Yorkers deserve to know what is in their food and to trust that it is safe," said Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles, Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act bill sponsor.

"At a time when families are paying closer attention to what's on their table, they deserve transparency, clear choices, and protection," said California Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay). "It's unacceptable that food and beverage companies can self-certify ingredients as safe with little to no federal oversight. AB 2034 closes that loophole, strengthens accountability, and puts public health ahead of corporate convenience."

"For decades, Americans have been forced to navigate a food system shrouded in secrecy and industry influence, thanks to a little-known federal loophole. Right under our noses, companies have gotten away with slipping secret chemicals into their products while parents guess what's safe to feed their kids," said Jensen Jose, CSPI Regulatory Counsel. "With thousands of poorly-tested chemicals now swimming in the nation's food supply, families cannot wait for Washington's policy to catch up to their daily reality. That's why we're urging Albany and Sacramento to pass these vital bills and set an example our country can follow."

"As a Bronx bodega owner and small business leader, we want to stock our shelves with the products New Yorkers can trust. For generations, our customers have relied on bodegas as a convenient way to feed their families. Yet, the stunning lack of industry regulation means dangerous additives like Red No. 3, potassium bromate, and propylparaben end up in the snacks and drinks we sell. No matter where you shop, Americans deserve access to healthy, nutritious products when they visit our stores. We need state leaders to stand up for our communities and embed transparency in our nation's food system immediately," said Francisco Marte, President of the New York Bodegas Association, and founder of the Bodega and Small Business Group.

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Tags

• GRAS
• Food and Drug Administration
• Additives

Topics

• Government Accountability
• Food Additives

Contact Info: Adaku Nwokiwu, 347-455-8121, [email protected]