Mar. 19, 2024
HARRISBURG – A bipartisan legislative package unveiled by Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny/Washington) and Rep. Melissa Shusterman (D-Chester) would prohibit the use of dangerous chemicals from being used in foods produced and sold in Pennsylvania.
“The list of health issues related to poisons like Red Dye No. 3 are well documented to increase hyperactivity in children and jeopardize brain development. They also have been linked to cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration went as far as to prohibit them from use in cosmetics more than 30 years ago, but we can’t wait any longer for the feds to ban them from our food supply,” Mihalek said. “Food affects every single one of us. I am grateful to Rep. Shusterman for her leadership in making our food safer. This is not a political issue; it’s a matter of public safety.”
“The citizens of PA should be able to trust that the food at the grocery store is safe. Worrying about health risks contained in the additives in foods, and scouring the fine print of labels, should not be something consumers have to add to their grocery lists,” said Shusterman. “I hope these food safety bills will be ones that legislators can come together in a bipartisan manner to support, and I want to thank Rep. Mihalek for taking the lead on this issue in the House.”
Legislation in the package includes:
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House Bill 2116 (Mihalek), which would prohibit the use of Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1 and Blue Dye No. 2.
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House Bill 2117 (Shusterman), which would prohibit the use of potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and butylated hydroxyanisole.
Link to video of Rep. Mihalek’s remarks.
Representative Natalie Mihalek
40th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724.875.8450
jfrei@pahousegop.com
RepMihalek.com /
Facebook.com/RepMihalek