Results: California becomes the first state to ban four chemicals in food, including red dye No. 3

Starting in 2027, California will prohibit red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben after Newsom, a Democrat, signed Assembly Bill 418 into law Saturday. All four ingredients have been made illegal in the European Union and some other parts of the world, but they can be found in commonly sold items in the U.S., such as some brands of orange soda, icing, hamburger rolls, candies and processed foods. The chemicals have been associated with issues from hyperactivity in children to cancer. Do you think these dyes should be prohibited in all of the US?

The FDA has long banned red dye No. 3 from cosmetics because studies show it causes cancer in lab animals in high doses. Yet the artificial color, which is derived from petroleum, is still used to give foods and medicines a bright red hue. Studies have also indicated that artificial food dyes are associated with behavioral problems in children, including hyperactivity; the FDA maintains there is no evidence of a causal relationship for children in the general population who haven't been diagnosed with behavioral disorders. The FDA stands by the use of the ingredients, the spokesperson said. Do you trust the FDA's ability to regulate food additives and ensure their safety?