California Assembly passes first-in-nation bill to ban five toxic chemicals from food products

(The Hill) – California’s State Assembly approved a first-in-the-nation bill Monday to rid food products of five toxic chemicals linked to cancer and developmental issues in children.

The legislation, AB 418, seeks to prohibit the manufacture, sale, delivery and distribution of food products that contain brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, red dye 3 or titanium dioxide.

Introduced by Democratic State Assemblymembers Jesse Gabriel and Buffy Wicks at the beginning of February, the legislation targets chemicals that are already banned in the European Union.

“Today’s strong vote is a major step forward in our effort to protect children and families in California from dangerous and toxic chemicals in our food supply,” Gabriel, chair of the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection, said in a statement.

“It’s unacceptable that the U.S. is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to ban...