SOME of America’s most popular snacks will be slapped with a warning label under a new law.
And it doesn’t only apply to food – shoppers will notice the new note on a variety of products in stores.
A bill on Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s desk would require eye-catching new messages on food and drink packaging.
The Lone Star State’s Senate Bill 25 passed unanimously and is awaiting the governor’s signature after landing on his desk on June 1.
If signed into law, it could shake up food packaging across the country.
That’s because manufacturers typically don’t want to produce different versions of the same product for each state, experts say.
Instead, companies often change their labels nationwide to comply with the strictest rules.
Under SB 25, products with certain additives would be required to display a clear warning that some ingredients are “not recommended for human consumption” in other countries.
The bill targets 44 ingredients that are still legal in the US but have been flagged or banned in countries such as Australia, Canada, the UK, and the European Union, USA TODAY reported.
Products would need to include the following warning: “WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.”
That language would have to appear clearly on both packaging and websites where the products are sold.
RESTAURANTS EXEMPTED
The bill exempts restaurants, drugs, dietary supplements, and products already regulated by the FDA.
The label would only apply to items meant for human consumption sold in stores, not food served in restaurants or produce treated with pesticides.
Chips, candy, cookies, soft drinks, cereals and frozen meals could all be hit with the warning if the law passes.
Fan favorites like Doritos, Ruffles, M&Ms, Oreos, Capri Sun and Mountain Dew contain at least one of the flagged ingredients.
Other impacted items could include Froot Loops, Cap’n Crunch, Hot Pockets, Twinkies, Sour Patch Kids and flavored Lay’s chips.
Even processed meats like sausages and hot dogs could fall under the rule.
Food and drinks affected by the new law
Products with warning labels:
- Food dyes: Red 40, Yellow 5 & 6, Blue 1 & 2, Green 3
- Preservatives: BHA, BHT, propylparaben
- Sweeteners & oils: Olestra, partially hydrogenated oils, interesterified palm/soybean oil
- Additives: Titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide (ADA), bromated flour
- Others: Bleached flour, propylene oxide, morpholine, sodium lauryl sulfate
- Many are banned or restricted in Australia, Canada, the UK, or EU.
- Warning label would read: “Not recommended for human consumption” per foreign authorities.
Items likely to be affected:
- Chips: Doritos, Ruffles, Lay’s flavored varieties
- Candy: M&Ms, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids
- Cookies & Cakes: Oreos, Chips Ahoy!, Twinkies, Hostess snacks
- Cereals: Froot Loops, Cap’n Crunch
- Drinks: Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Capri Sun, Hawaiian Punch, Juicy Juice
- Frozen Foods: Microwavable popcorn, frozen dinners, Hot Pockets
- Processed Meats: Sausages, hot dogs
- Breads: Those made with bleached or bromated flour
Products using bleached flour, food dyes, sweeteners, certain oils and preservatives are among those affected.
Some of the additives named include Red 40, Yellow 6, titanium dioxide, olestra, bromated flour and synthetic trans fats.
Representative Lacey Hull, a Republican lawmaker in Texas, said Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. personally called her to support the bill.
The measure lines up with his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, she told Bloomberg.
“Secretary Kennedy encourages states to promote healthy practices and enhance consumer transparency in food labeling,” HHS spokesperson Emily G. Hilliard told USA TODAY.
“Americans deserve to know what’s in their food so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families.”
But not everyone is on board.
John Hewitt blasted the proposal as misleading and costly.
“The ingredients used in the US food supply are safe and have been rigorously studied following an objective science and risk-based evaluation process,” Hewitt said.
“The labeling requirements of SB 25 mandate inaccurate warning language, create legal risks for brands and drive consumer confusion and higher costs.”
Governor Abbott has not said whether he will sign the bill.
His press secretary, Andre Mahaleris, said on June 3: “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 signed into law, the new labels would appear starting in 2027.
