New York State Is Latest To Threaten Removal of Harmful Food Additives

The movement to ban certain additives in food or beverages that started last year in California and spread this year first to Illinois has now reached as far as the Empire State.

Two New York State lawmakers introduced related bills to protect consumers from dangerous known and unknown additives used in foods and beverages.

The first bill, A6424A/S6055B, would prohibit the use of seven dangerous and unnecessary additives in foods or drinks sold in New York state: azodicarbonamide, brominated vegetable oil (BVO), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), potassium bromate, propylparaben, Red 3, and titanium dioxide.

All but BHA are banned in the European Union. Last year, California enacted legislation to eliminate BVO, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and Red 3 from foods and drinks sold in that state by 2027.

New York’s prohibition would take effect two years sooner in 2025.

The second bill, S08615/A9295, would require companies to disclose to the state of New York when they add chemicals to foods and drinks that the company secretly self-determines are “generally recognized as safe” or GRAS, without notifying the FDA.