Thirty states where you might not be able to buy Skittles much longer due to the ‘RFK Jr effect’
Dozens of states are considering bills to strip artificial dyes out of the country’s food supply amid a growing movement spearheaded by Robert F Kennedy Jr.
In the first three months of this year, 20 states introduced bills to outlaw colorings and other food additives that have been linked to cancer, hyperactivity and other health problems.
California and Virginia are the only two states where legislation has passed and will come into effect in the coming years — both have outlawed certain additives from school lunches.
West Virginia is on the verge of passing an even wider ranging ban that would would prohibit the sale of all foods containing seven different artificial colorings statewide.
Historically, Republican-led states would have been ideologically opposed to measures which interfere with free markets.
But RFK Jr’s Make America Healthy Again movement tapped into the growing concern about harmful ingredients and their potential link to the US’ chronic illness epidemic.
Campaigners at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a food advocacy organization, said: ‘Time and again the FDA has failed to act when it comes to regulating potentially harmful food ingredients. In the absence of federal action, states have stepped up to protect their consumers from harmful food chemicals.’
Overall, 30 states are now seeking to implement bans on artificial food colorings or additives.
More than 50 food colorings, including 10 synthetic or man-made food dyes, are approved for use in foods and beverages by the FDA.
They do not have a nutritional or health benefit, but are used to enhance the appearance and appeal of foods to customers — particularly children.
Many European countries have already banned certain additives such as Red 3, and now require the packaging of foods containing colors like Yellow 5 and Red 40 to carry warning labels.
The 17 states that have proposed bans on food colorings, according to the EWG: Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
Other states are considering bans on other food additives including propyl paraben and potassium bromate, which have been linked to hormone disruption and kidney or gastrointestinal cancers.
Propyl paraben is used as a preservative in bakery goods to prevent mold growing in a product for longer, while potassium bromate helps bread rise higher and take on a stronger white color.
These are: Arkansas, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
West Virginia is closest to making the proposal law, with its wide-ranging bill having passed both the state House and the Senate.
It is now waiting for a signature from Governor Patrick Morrisey, a republican who has signaled he is likely to sign — telling local media he was a ‘big advocate of having healthy food’.
Last Friday, Virginia became the second state to ban foods containing seven artificial colorings from school lunches after the law was signed by governor Glenn Youngkin.
The seven dyes banned were Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, with the law set to come into force on July 1, 2027.
Signing the bill, Youngkin said: ‘I believe this is one of the most important bills we will sign during this administration — removing harmful, artificial dyes from public schools.’
He added: ‘What we know is that these artificial food dyes, these chemicals that are injected into our food, cause problems, real problems … and therefore we are making a statement.’
That followed California’s move to ban the same artificial colors in school lunches in September last year, which is set to come into force later on December 31, 2027.
The above shows foods that contain Red 40, which many states are now considering banning
The above shows Froot Loops, which contain a number of different artificial food colorings
The FDA recently ordered that Red 3 must be removed from foods sold in the US by 2027 and medications by 2028, over concerns it can cause cancer.
This dye is responsible for the bright red colors found in candies and lollipops, although there are now natural alternatives.
In July last year, the agency also said it would ban brominated vegetable oil over concerns it could damage the nervous system and irritate the skin.
This ban, affecting sodas like Sundrop, came into force in August 2024 — with companies having one year to reformulate their products.
Many states are also seeking a ban on Red 40, or Allura red — found in several popular snacks including Doritos, Skittle and Pepsi.
In December 2022, researchers in Canada found consuming the dye raised the risk of suffering from severe bowel disease in mice. The dye also contains benzidine, a human carcinogen.
Yellow 5 is also on the chopping block, which has been linked to potentially triggering hyperactivity in children and damage to DNA. It is also used in Doritos, juices and cookies.
Similarly, Yellow 6 — found in sugary breakfast cereals like Lucky Charms — and Blue 1 — found in sweets like gummy bears — have both also been linked to hyperactivity.
Studies in animals have also suggested that Blue 2 — found in sports drinks — and Green 3 — often found in salad dressings — raised the risk of tumors developing, particularly in the bladder and testes.
