NY Lawmakers Move to Ban Potentially Cancer-Causing Additives Commonly Used in Bagels, Pizza
Lawmakers in New York are pushing a bill that, if it takes effect, will ban ingredients commonly used in making the state’s iconic bagels and pizza due to potentially posing a risk of cancer and other health-related issues.
The Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act was passed by the state legislature on April 21, which bans the use of potassium bromate – used to help dough rise higher and look whiter, but can reportedly cause cancer and kidney damage – as well as Red 3 and propylparaben, which can cause cancer, behavioral issues in children and hormone and reproductive harm.
The bill is now headed to the desk of Governor Kathy Hochul, who is expected to sign it into law; this this does indeed happen, it could have a widespread effect – and result is slightly different tastes – upon many of New York’s popular and trademark foods, ranging from pizza and bagels to processed foods and more.
“While the use of food additives to enhance the shelf life, taste, or texture of various commercial food products is nothing new, the science behind the health effects of increased consumption of such additives is shedding new light on just how dangerous some of them can be,” the bill reads. “This legislation protects New Yorkers from three of the most pervasive and harmful food additives.”
The Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act was sponsored by State Senator Cordell Cleare (D-Harlem), who said lawmakers have a duty to protect the health and well-being of their constituents.
State Sen. Cordell Cleare (D-Harlem), who sponsored the measure, told People that the key behind the potential ban is its link to cancer.
“I strongly support the Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act because any substance that is linked to cancer has no place in our food, period,” he said. “Other countries have banned potassium bromate without any diminution in the quality of flour-based products and the same will happen in New York.”
If passed, not only would the bill block the manufacture and sale of foods containing the additives, but it would also prohibit companies from relying upon current federal safety standards as a means of circumventing the ban.
The bill also bans the use of Red 3, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 in school food under most circumstances.
Small businesses will have three years to being their manufacturing into compliance with the new law.
Both California and the UK have passed similar measures in recent years.
