Moms, Pizzamakers to Gov Hochul: Kick Cancer Out of Our Food, Sign Food Safety Reform NOW!

Today, the Center for Science in the Public Interest launched a five figure ad campaign featuring New York mothers, including Liuba Grechen Shirley, Pastor Sharmaine Byrd, and Afsana Haque, and pizzamakers Frank Pinello and John Gristina urging Governor Hochul to sign the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act (S1239F/A1556G) into law. Amid longstanding food safety gaps and a lax FDA, the legislation would strengthen consumer transparency and ban three harmful food additives linked to cancer and hormone disruption-Red No. 3, potassium bromate, and propylparaben. The ads will run across social media, amplifying growing public support for the bill and longstanding concerns among parents and business owners about the dangers hiding in the food supply.

Under a decades-old federal loophole that allows companies to self-certify ingredients as "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS), food giants are sneaking harmful chemicals into the nation's food supply without adequate FDA oversight. Sponsored by Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Dr. Anna Kelles, the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act closes this loophole by requiring manufacturers to disclose safety data for chemicals that have bypas sed the FDA's formal safety review at little or no cost to the consumer.

Recent data confirms that more than 70% of American adults are alarmed about chemicals in the food supply, and 5 in 6 want government and businesses to do more on chemical safety and transparency. Passed with ample bipartisan support in the State Legislature, the bill awaits final signature from the Governor.

"Unfortunately, in the American food system, we come across ingredients that aren't so good for us. Potassium bromate just so happens to be one of them. It's a carcinogen that's already banned in Italy, the pizza capital of the world. It doesn't belong in New Yorkers' pizza either. Governor Hochul, what are you waiting for? Sign the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act into law," said Frank Pinello, pizzaiolo and owner of the Brooklyn-based, multinational Best Pizza chain.

"I've been in the industry since I was 16 years old. Potassium bromate is a dough conditioner, and growing up, bromated flour was the standard so I used it my entire career. But as I got older and learned more about the risks involved, I found that there are other ways to make a great product without using a chemical that could make somebody sick. Now, I can lay my head on my pillow at night knowing I make the greatest, safest product possible. Governor Hochul, kick cancer out of New York pizza," said John Gristina, pizzaiolo and owner of the Westchester-based Pizza Fenice.

"I'm a mom of three who cooks all the time. I shouldn't have to ask the government to keep my kids safe from secret chemicals and ingredients. It's time for companies to be honest about what they're putting in our food; the least they can do is prove that their ingredients are safe," said Liuba Grechen Shirley, mother, founder of Vote Mama.

"I live with my daughter and my granddaughter so I spend a lot of time making decisions about what we're going to cook. Yet, when we go to the grocery store, many of the products available just aren't good for our health. Every day, food companies are getting away with making millions of dollars off the backs of our families. But I want my family to have a shot at a healthy, long life," said Pastor Sharmaine Byrd, mother and grandmother, Greater Mount Carmel Cathedral and Worship Center.

"As an immigrant, I was never used to checking ingredient lists on packaged foods. Back home, I never had to second guess the safety of the food I was feeding my family. Since moving to New York, that sense of freedom has gone away entirely. Governor Hochul, you are a mom and a grandmother. You care about what your kids eat... Shouldn't you care about ours too?" said Afsana Haque, mother from the Bronx.

The Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act (S1239F/A1556G) ends the secrecy of a federal loophole that allows companies to self-designate their ingredients as "generally recognized as safe" or GRAS without adequate FDA oversight. The bill prohibits the use of three harmful additives in foods sold statewide and requires companies to disclose evidence confirming the safety of food chemicals that bypass the FDA's safety review. By mandating transparency requirements for chemical use in foods and eliminating unsafe additives, the bill aims to improve health outcomes and protect New York consumers from health harms like cancer and developmental delays.

Why Food Safety Regulation Is Urgent:

• Dangers in the Nation's Food Supply: Americans are regularly exposed to food chemicals that have been banned throughout the European Union, Canada, China, and other countries due to known health risks. Additives like Red No. 3, potassium bromate, and propylparaben have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and other serious conditions-yet they remain legal and widely used in most U.S. states.
• Federal Inaction: According to a 2024 American Journal of Public Health analysis, the FDA rarely re-evaluates or revokes GRAS status, even as new research raises concerns about the safety of long-approved chemicals. Simultaneously, the FDA's food safety program has been severely weakened by ongoing layoffs and structural reforms, limiting its ability to inspect, regulate, or enforce food safety standards.
• Chronic Disease Risk: With rates of cancer, developmental disorders, and hormone-related illnesses on the rise, public health experts have warned that continued exposure to toxic food additives could further exacerbate health inequities and drive long-term costs to the healthcare system. The Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act offers New York an opportunity to lead in protecting its residents-especially children-from preventable harm.

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Tags

• Food and Drug Administration
• Additives
• Cancer Risk

Topics

• Government Accountability
• Food Additives
• Food Safety
• CSPI

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