Parting with Peeps? California considers banning certain chemicals in candy

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: (Self-Study) Education/Family

Switch to Watch View >

Storyline

Hide Storyline

Marshmallow Peeps may soon need a makeover if the manufacturer wants to continue selling them in California.

The traditional Easter treat, along with several other popular candy brands including Skittles, Starburst and Sour Patch Kids, contain chemical additives on a list of ingredients in a ban proposed by state lawmakers.

The five chemicals on the list, which include red dye number three and titanium dioxide, are used to add color and texture to candy.

They’ve already been banned in the European Union after some scientific studies showed the chemicals could increase the risk of cancer, damage the reproductive system and cause other health problems.

Many manufacturers adopted new recipes to continue selling the affected candy in Europe but still use the old formulas in the U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration permits the use of the listed chemicals if the additives meet specific limits the FDA deems safe for consumers.

But some consumer advocates say the FDA’s methods of determining what additives are safe are outdated.

The co-author of the bill, California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel who represents the San Fernando Valley, says he’s not trying to ban the candy.

Instead, he says he simply wants the manufacturers to sell the same versions of the candy in the U.S. that they currently offer in Europe.

In response to the state bill, the National Confectioners Association issued the following statement:

“Chocolate and candy are safe to enjoy, as they have been for centuries. We strongly oppose AB 418 because there is no evidence to support banning the ingredients listed in the bill. The ingredients that would be banned under this proposal have all been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food safety is the number one priority for U.S. confectionery companies, and we do not use any ingredients in our products that do not comply with the FDA’s strictest safety standards.”

If passed and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom later this year, the chemical additive ban would go into effect in 2025, giving manufacturers time to reformulate their candy recipes for the California market.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.

Script

Hide Script

[Marshmallow Peeps on display in store]

California Assemblymember Jesse Gabrielle (interview): “I am proud to be, along with a colleague of mine, the author of Assembly Bill 418, which would ban in the state of California five toxic substances that are used as additives in food. These substances are already banned in the European Union and in many other countries and jurisdictions around the world. And the reason that they are banned is because there are very strong scientific links to very serious health harm: cancer, reproductive issues, developmental behavioral issues in kids.”

[Marshmallow Peeps]

California Assemblymember Jesse Gabrielle (interview): “This is not intended to and absolutely will not result in products coming off the shelves. I know there’s been a lot of conversation out there that California is trying to ban Skittles or something. That’s crazy. I love candy. I love Skittles. I love wild berry Skittles. We are not trying to ban candy. What we have seen, however, though, is that they still produce Skittles in Europe. They still produce Skittles in other parts of the world. What they do is they take out these toxic ingredients and they replace them with something else. And what we really want is for these companies to make the same minor modifications to their recipes that they’ve made in Europe and elsewhere here in the United States.”

[Sour Patch Kids]

California Assemblymember Jesse Gabrielle (interview): “What I think is likely to happen if this law passes here in the state of California and is signed into law, the companies aren’t going to have one recipe for California and a different recipe for Oklahoma. So one of the nice byproducts of this is that will protect kids all over the United States.”

[Skittles]

Scott Faber (interview): “There are five chemicals already banned in the EU, clearly dangerous, for which there are alternatives that are cheaper that we can use tomorrow. Let’s get these chemicals out of our candy. This is a leadership moment for these companies. They should be working with us to raise the bar for their whole industry.”

[Ingredients on proposed ban list on candy labels]

Scott Faber (interview): “In particular Red 3, a color in everything from candy canes to conversation hearts have been linked to cancer. Really no reason we’re using this chemical anymore. FDA has known it’s been linked to cancer since the 1980s, and it’s just simply a long past time for FDA or if FDA fails to act, states like California to just get it out of our food. There are plenty of other alternatives that can make candy look delicious to our kids without increasing their risk of getting cancer. Likewise, titanium dioxide used in everything from Skittles to Starburst used as a food color. Recently, scientists in the EU concluded that it was no longer safe for use in candy because of potential damage to our DNA. Again, lots of alternatives available.”

[Starburst candy]

[Hot Tamales candy]

[Conservation Hearts candy]

Scott Faber (interview): “Every parent should be outraged that it’s up to them to shop around this problem, to read labels and say, oh God, is this red three or titanium dioxide in this candy cane or conversation heart. They should be outraged that that’s the solution that they have, that the government, the federal government, doesn’t have their back and certainly the candy industry doesn’t have their back.”

[Pez candy on display in store]

This script was provided by The Associated Press.

Related Lesson: Parting with Peeps? California considers banning certain chemicals in candy