Illinois New Food Additives Law
The state of Illinois has decided to make a new law which will ban several food additives. These are mostly found in candy and sodas. According to a press footage from the State Senator, Willie Preston, it has been announced which additives will be banned. These being brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, red dye number 3, and propylparaben.
“These substances have been used in food for decades, and new evidence shows they can pose serious threats to our health and to the health of our kids,” stated Senator Preston. Many people have stated concern on this ban because most of the people’s favorite foods and drinks contain these additives. However, State Secretary, Alexi Giannoulias, made an announcement reassuring people about this topic. Giannoulias, stated that this will only ban the additives, but it wont ban the product. Meaning they will remove the additive and find a replacement for so the products can stay.
Health Concerns That Are Causing The Ban
There were many reasons why this ban was set in place. The most important reason however, would be the health concerns. Alex Giannoulias, said that some of the health concerns are nervous system damage, hyperactivity, hormonal damage, reproductive issues and risks of cancer.
Other studies demonstrated that the bioaccumulation of bromine causes toxic effects on the thyroid. The reason why this is added to drinks is to stop the flavoring to float on top of the drinks. This substances have been found to have carcinogenic effects on the thyroid and the kidneys.
Next, the Propylparaben is used as an antimicrobial on food to preserve it. The California State Governor signed a bill which banned the use of this chemical. This was because of the growing concerns of it harming the endocrine system. This also causes concern and issues in the reproductive system. Lastly, the Red dye number 3 was also banned in California before. This was because research showed that this additive caused serious effects in young children. The effects were mostly altering the kid’s behavior.
“You can’t eat this stuff in Europe. You can’t eat this stuff in Japan, but we just jam it down our kid’s throats here in the United States of America. And that’s not OK,” said Giannoulias.
Nothing Is Decided Yet
Additionally, as of right now there is no definitive action on the bill. However if this bill is passed it will not take effect until the year 2027. Basically, this is to give time to the companies that use these chemicals, to find an alternative. The point is to completely get rid of it from their products. If the companies do not comply to this bill, they will face serious consequences. The state wants to reassure people that this ban will not get rid of any of the products whatsoever. They will only make the said additives to no longer be on them.
“We in the state of Illinois will not allow these food additives that are putting the risk of our children at state, to remain in the food supply. We are all pleased the state of California took some action. We’re going to take similar action, and we are going to take it a step further,” said Preston. It is very likely that this bill will be passed since it has gotten support from many.
Written By Erika Cano
Sources:
ABC 7 Chicago: Illinois lawmakers propose ban on 5 food additives, modeled after California law
NBC Chicago: Illinois Food Safety Act seeks to ban specific additives found in candy, soda
CBS News: Illinois wants to ban food chemicals found in candy, soda
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Leonard Towers Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Mike Mozart Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
