Some states are banning popular snacks, why?

A number of states across the country have decided to ban a number of popular snacks because of concerns over food or color additives.  However, other states are relying on the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to make these decisions. 

Which states and which food additives?

• California has passed a law known as the “Skittles Ban”.  This law prohibits certain potentially carcinogenic food chemicals like brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye No. 3. This law won’t take effect until 2027. 

• Other states, including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Missouri are considering similar bans on food additives.  New York is considering a similar ban to California and includes the same food additives but also adds titanium dioxide.

What are the health concerns and health risks states are concerned about?

• Red Dye No. 3:  Consumer Reports has an article about Why Is Red Dye No. 3 Banned in Cosmetics but Still Allowed in Food?  As noted in the article, FDA banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in cosmetics over 30 years ago because it is linked to cancer in animals.  But Red Dye No. 3 has been allowed in foods since 1907.  You will see this dye on ingredient lists as “FD&C Red No. 3”.  Why is it still in foods?  Because FDA has ruled it is safe in the amounts we typically consume.  The health concern over this dye is that it may lead to hyperactivity and behavioral problems in kids. 
• Potassium Bromate:  This chemical is used in bread to help “strengthen the texture of bread”.  In rats, it is linked to cancer and may be related to kidney problems in humans.    
• Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO):  It is used in small amounts in fruit flavored beverages to keep the flavoring from floating to the top.  However, today very few beverages contain this ingredient.  FDA decided BVO was safe in the late 1950’s and 1960’s.  But by the late 1960’s, FDA was getting concerns over its safety.  Thus, FDA begin restricting its use and amounts allowed.  On November 2, 2023, FDA has issued a proposed rule that essentially would ban the use of BVO in foods.   EWG indicates BVO “can harm the nervous system”. 

What foods may contain these food additives?

• Red Dye No. 3:  Skittles contains this red dye, and that is why it is called the “Skittles Ban” in California.  But it can be found in over 2,900 food products.  Look at the ingredient list and you may find it in gumdrops, peppermints, strawberry flavored drinks like “Nesquik, Pediasure, Ensure and Yoo-hoo”. 
• Potassium Bromate:  This can be found not only in breads, but also bagels, Englis muffins, crackers, some pastries, and pizza crusts.  An article in Eating Well, noted that a substitute for potassium bromate would be ascorbic acid, better known as Vitamin C.  I just read the label from our just purchased whole wheat bread.  No potassium bromate but they did list ascorbic acid so companies are now shifting from potassium bromate to ascorbic acid.  

• BVO:  USA Today notes that California banned BVO in October 2023 and this oil is banned in Europe and Japan.  EWG found that BVO is in some 90 products, mostly sodas such as “Sun Drop, Orangette and Great Value Fruit Punch”. 

What can you do to avoid these additives?

• Read the ingredient list.  Not all bread, crackers, etc. contain Potassium Bromate.  I just looked at our box of Triscuits, no artificial additives.  Triscuit ingredients are “whole grain wheat, canola oil, sea salt”.  My daughter likes Dave’s Killer Bread English Muffins which also has no potassium bromate.
• Choose real foods.  Real, 100% juice would not have artificial dyes.  However, juice drinks, juice cocktails, fruit drinks, fruit punches often have artificial food coloring.  (See:  Are you drinking real juice or fake juice?).  We switched to using real butter because the margarine had so many ingredients.  (See:  Butter or Margarine? ).  Since butter may be hard to spread, we buy the Land O Lakes Butter with Canola Oil  The ingredients are:  Sweet cream, canola oil and salt.   
• Buy fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. 
• Cook and bake and make your own dishes from scratch.  Then you can control the ingredients. 

Conclusion:  Remember to read food labels carefully, especially the ingredient list.  Choose whole, minimally processed foods when you can.  Opting for a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains can help minimize exposure to additives and promote overall health. 

Sources:  law , states , Why Is Red Dye No. 3 Banned in Cosmetics but Still Allowed in Food? , strengthen the texture of bread , rats , kidney ,  beverages , FDA , , EWG , proposed rule , 2,900 food products , found , article, USA Today  , EWG , Triscuit ingredients , Dave’s Killer Bread English Muffins , Are you drinking real juice or fake juice? , Butter or Margarine?  , Land O Lakes , food labels    Image Sources:  candy , Potassium Bromate ,Triscuit ingredients

What is the buzz about Lunchables?

Lunchables are a very popular lunch kit for kids.  And Lunchables are served in some school lunch rooms.  Consumer Reports is out with an article, Should You Pack Lunchables for Your Kid’s School Lunch?  This article created a firestorm in the media.  The reason is that Consumer Reports found that some of these popular prepackaged meals contain relatively high levels of lead, cadmium, and sodium.  

What products did the Consumer Reports test?

They tested 12 store-bought Lunchables and similar prepackaged meal kits for lead and used the food label for sodium content. CR measured lead in terms of percentage of California’s maximum allowable dose level.  The sodium % is the percentage of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.  What products were tested and what are the lead and sodium percentages? (Table adapted from Lead and Sodium in Lunch Products .)

Lunchable	Lead %	Sodium %
Lunchables Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Stackers	74	49
Lunchables Pizza with Pepperoni	73	45
Lunchables Extra Cheesy Pizza	69	34
Armour LunchMakers Cracker Crunchers Ham & American	67	45
Armour LunchMakers Cracker Crunchers Turkey & American	44	40
Good & Gather (Target) Uncured Ham and Cheddar Cheese Lunch Kit	57	33
Good & Gather (Target) Smoked Turkey and Cheddar Cheese Lunch Kit	30	34
Greenfield Natural Meat Co. Smoked Turkey & Cheese Lunch Kit	37	35
Oscar Meyer Natural Honey Smoked Turkey Breast	24	46
Oscar Mayer Natural Hickory Smoked Uncured Ham	21	46
P3 Turkey Ham Cheddar (A better option as lower in lead and sodium.)	10	36
P3 Turkey Colby Jack Almonds (A better option as lower in lead and sodium.)	7	31

What did Consumer Reports Find?

• Highly Processed Meat:  Registered Dietitian Amy Keating states, “There’s a lot to be concerned about in these kits. They’re highly processed, and regularly eating processed meat, a main ingredient in many of these products, has been linked to increased risk of some cancers.”  (For more about processed foods, see Is your favorite snack an ultra-processed food? ) 
• Sodium:  The sodium content in the kits raised concerns as the amounts ranged from 460-740 milligrams per serving.  This equates to about 25% to nearly 50% of a of a child’s daily recommended limit for sodium.
• Lead and cadmium:   Finding these in the meal kits are particularly concerning because they are classified as probable human carcinogens, and there is no safe level of lead consumption for kids according to CDC.  None of the meal kits exceeded legal limits but the amounts are concerning.  As one news caster said, if a kit contains 74% of the maximum amount of lead in one serving, what if a child ate 2 meal kits?  Lead as a % of the maximum allowable dose level, ranged from a low of 10% in P3 lunch kit to a high of 74% in Lunchable Turkey and Cheddar Cracker Stackers.
• Phthalates:  All but one of the meal kits contained this chemical.  According to CDC, phthalates are used in plastics and have “affected the reproductive system in animals”.   EWG notes phthalates “are associated with health harms, including risk of cancer, asthma, and allergies, and learning attention and behavioral difficulties in children”. 

What did Consumer Reports recommend?

Based on these findings, a chemist at Consumer Reports suggested these products should not be considered a healthy school lunch option and advises against their regular consumption. 

Conclusion:  Parents of children may want to review the report and see the findings for themselves.  There are so many alternative lunch options for kids like the tried-and-true peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Why not make your own healthy lunch kit?  For ideas, see my blog post, What are some healthy lunches for at home or to pack?  For even more lunch ideas, Eat This, Not That! Has over 70 healthy lunch ideas for you to try.  

 

 

Sources:  Should You Pack Lunchables for Your Kid’s School Lunch? , products , states , Is your favorite snack an ultra-processed food? , sodium , Finding these , Lead , CDC , notes , findings , chemist , What are some healthy lunches for at home or to pack? , healthy lunch ideas  Image sources:  Homemade Lunchables , Launchables , PB and J  sandwich

Is your favorite snack an ultra-processed food?

Who doesn’t love snacking?  On a recent trip to Europe, one thing we missed were snacks.  Americans love to snack.  Snacking doesn’t have to be unhealthy and actually can add some good nutrition to your day.  One of my favorite snacks is a banana.  A natural food, unprocessed, no plastic packaging and rich in potassium and fiber.  But too many Americans are eating snacks that are ultra-processed.  What is ultra-processed?  Ultra-processed foods are those shiny, packaged products that often have little resemblance to their natural origins.  They are typically loaded with additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. 

What are some examples of ultra-processed snacks to avoid?

• Mass-Manufactured Chips/Snacks:  Think Cheetos or other colorful, flavored, and heavily processed snack foods. 
• Sweet Buns and Cookies:   Those soft, sweet buns and sugary cookies you find at the store?  Yes, most fall into the ultra-processed category.
• Reconstituted Meat and Poultry Products:  Chicken breasts are a healthy choice but not so for chicken nuggets, some sausages, and other processed meats like lunch meats and beef jerky.  These may contain preservatives like nitrites and nitrates which have been associated with colon cancer. 
• Pre-packaged meals:  It is so tempting to grab a pre-packaged meal.  But many of these convenience meals come with added sodium and other ingredients. 
• Sweetened Beverages like sodas, fruit drinks, and sports drinks.  Often not only loaded with added sugar, but with artificial colors.  Think Hi-C fruit punch, SunnyD, lemonade.  (See:  Are you drinking real juice or fake juice?)

How do you know if it is an ultra-processed food?

Ingredients:  Check out the ingredients.  You may see artificial sweeteners, or “casein, lactose, gluten, whey, hydrogenated oils, protein isolate, maltodextrin, inverted sugar, and high fructose corn syrup.”  The ingredients for Hi-C fruit punch include high fructose corn syrup, sucralose and acesulfame potassium. 

What are good replacements for ultra-processed snack foods?

• Chips:  I love chips and eat some chips almost every day.  But I choose healthy chips.  How can chips be healthy?  My husband and I buy whole grain chips like Food Should Taste Good chips (often available at Costco) or Sunchips.  (See: Add some healthy carbs to your day.)   Look for ingredients like whole wheat, oil and salt.  Sunchips and Food Should Taste Good chips are not only whole grain but are made with heart healthy oils. 
• Cookies:  Make some oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies at home. Try out the recipe on the oatmeal box.  This will add some whole grains to you and your kid’s day. 
• Crackers:  So easy to choose whole grain crackers and skip the Cheez Its.  My husband loves Cheez It crackers but too much as he can eat half a box easily.  So, we try to stock up with whole grain crackers like Wheat Thins.  If you aren’t a fan of whole grain crackers, then try Ritz whole wheat crackers.  Still processed and some added sugar but also a way to add some whole wheat to your day.  
• Whole foods like fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, nuts.   

Conclusion:  Remember, ultra-processed foods tend to be high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium.  Instead opt for whole, minimally processed foods when you can to nourish your body with wholesome goodness.  There are so many healthy snacks to enjoy and many I outline in Enjoy Some Healthy Snacks. Snacks like fruit, veggies, whole grain chips, whole grain crackers or whole grain crackers that add some good nutrition to your day, or to your child’s day.  Stay informed and snack wisely!  

 

Sources:  ultra-processed , preservatives , Hi-C fruit punch , Are you drinking real juice or fake juice? , ingredients , Food Should Taste Good , Sunchips , Add some healthy carbs to your day. , Ritz whole wheat crackers , Enjoy Some Healthy Snacks  Images:  Ultraprocessed foods , Real food vs processed food , Food should taste good