The California Food Safety Act—statewide legislation that bans the sale of foods containing four possibly toxic chemical additives—was signed into California law by Governor Gavin Newsom (D) on October 7, 2023.
The legislation, also known as Assembly Bill 418 (AB 418), specifically prohibits the sale of food containing red dye 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil, and propylparaben. California Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel (D-46), the original author of AB 418, and Governor Newsom cited the EU’s ban of the four chemicals in their reasoning for introducing and signing the bill into law, respectively. Studies have suggested the additives may be linked to serious health harms, such as cancer, reproductive issues, and childhood behavioral and developmental problems.