Major change coming to M&M's and other foods as RFK sets sights on nation's favorites
Americans may soon see a new label on their favorite snacks, warning them they are full of potentially dangerous ingredients.
A new bill expected to be signed into law would require companies to print a label on their food products if they contain additives, including dyes and bleached flour.
The legislation, backed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, is targeting additives and ingredients that are mostly banned or require warnings in other countries.
While Senate Bill 25 is moving through lawmakers in Texas, because of the nature of production and sale of goods in the US, it is likely people across America will soon see the warning labels.
The bill lists more than 40 ingredients, such as synthetic dyes, titanium dioxide, bleached flour, partially hydrogenated oils, melatonin and various food colorings, including Red dye 40 - which have been associated with childhood behavioral problems, cancer and infertility.
This could affect popular food products such as Doritos chips, Mountain Dew soda, Kellogg Co.'s Froot Loops and Mars Inc.'s M&Ms.
If enacted, Texas would become the first state to require such disclosures and signal a huge win for Kennedy Jr's 'Make America Healthy Again' movement.
The labels would contain language such as: 'This product contains an artificial color, chemical, or food additive that is banned in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.'
The requirement would begin in 2027.
According to Bloomberg, Texas Rep. Lacey Hull, who was one of the bill's sponsors in the House, said she received a call from Kennedy Jr when it passed the legislature.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Kennedy Jr and the Health and Human Services department for a comment.
But despite alleged support from the federal government, Gov. Abbott has not yet publicly stated whether he will sign the bill into law.
However, Andrew Mahaleris, his press secretary, said in a statement before the bill reached him: 'Governor Abbott will continue to work with the legislature to ensure Texans have access to healthy foods to care for themselves and their families and will thoughtfully review any legislation they send to his desk.'
If Gov Abbott decides to pass the bill and make it law solely in Texas, experts predict manufacturing giants may choose to print labels on all their products nationwide to streamline their operations.
Enforcement of the potential law will be managed by the Texas Attorney General, and violations may incur penalties of up to $50,000 per violation plus reimbursement for enforcement costs.
In addition to the labels, the bill also establishes a state nutrition advisory committee - making 30 minutes of daily physical activity necessary during the school day for grades below six.
It also instructs Texas schools to implement new nutrition education curriculum.
Texas is not alone in its overhaul. Both California and West Virginia are passing laws to ban some artificial food colorings. There are at least 30 others, mostly Democratic state, considering similar legislation.
This is not the first time lawmakers have sought to make America's food safer - and companies are being pressured to respond.
Last week, Mars Wrigley, the global confectionery giant behind Skittles, quietly reformulated its recipe after a blistering new health report chaired by the secretary linked one of its ingredients to DNA damage and possible cancer risks.
The company confirmed it removed titanium dioxide from its rainbow-colored candies in the United States.
The move follows growing international scrutiny of the additive's potential health effects.
Titanium dioxide is widely used in processed foods to give a bright, opaque appearance but it has increasingly come under fire for what experts warn may be genotoxic and carcinogenic properties.
The change comes in the wake of a bombshell report from the Make America Healthy Again Commission, led by Kennedy Jr.
The report warned titanium dioxide, among other food additives, 'may cause cellular and DNA damage' - particularly in children, who are exposed to such chemicals at higher rates through snack foods, candies, and sauces.
For decades, titanium dioxide has been considered a 'safe' additive by US regulators but in 2022, the European Union banned its use entirely, citing concerns over its genotoxic effects after extensive European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviews.
The sudden change made by Mars Wrigley to its product formula in order to comply with the agency may also be adopted by other manufacturers.
Last month Kennedy Jr sought to have food petroleum based food dyes removed from sweets, cakes and other treats sold in the US - including Blue 1, Red 40, and Yellow 6.
The dyes are often made by combining a product from petrol with another substance to create the brilliant color, but natural alternatives are available, and are already used in multiple products in Europe - including in Skittles.
The dyes have been linked to multiple health problems in animal studies, including cancer and a higher risk of developing tumors.
There are also concerns the bright colors could encourage people to eat more sweet treats, leading to weight gain, which is linked to a whole host of chronic diseases.
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