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The Alaska Legislature has approved the ban of seven synthetic food dyes from school meals to help protect student health.
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The synthetic dyes include several versions of red, yellow, green and blue and are used as color additives that provide no nutritional value, but give food and drinks a bright color. They are commonly used in candies, baked goods, breakfast cereals, snacks, ice cream and sports drinks, among others.
Six of the seven food dyes identified are petroleum-based. Lawmakers raised concerns that synthetic food dyes are linked to negative health effects in children, and said the ban mirrors a nationwide trend to eliminate such additives from everyday food items.
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The Alaska House unanimously passed Senate Bill 187 on Friday, after the House passed it in April, advancing the bill to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s desk.
Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, sponsored the legislation and pointed to research connecting synthetic food dyes to adverse health effects, including irritability, hyperactivity, inattentiveness, sleep disorders, aggression, immune system reactions and even cancer.
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