We know that the Public Health system in Texas is chummy with Trump Health and Human Services czar RFK Jr. The state has embraced his stands on flouride in drinking water, and vaccinations. Now, Texas is heeding RFK Jr.’s calls to ban artificial food colourings…
In fact, RFK. Jr. has called for removal of all artificial colourings, preservatives and other additives from foods sold in US supermarkets…
Strong stand…
RFK’s stands on ‘additive’ issues in general have been extremely hardline thus far. He’s called flouride ‘poison’, and called repeatedly for bans on all commercial food colourings. An early ‘victory’ over food colourings was the recent ban of Red Dye No. 3 just this past January, days after the Trump team was sworn in.
More recently, his position on vaccinations has got him in hot water in several southwestern states where officials have followed his lead and stopped vaccinating for childhood diseases. The move immediately led to a outbreak – later upgraded to an epidemic – of measles that’s seen hundreds of cases reported, and dozens of deaths.
Texas more cautious
So it’s not surprising that Texas, particularly, is reacting more cautiously to RFK’s ongoing calls for further bans on food coloiurings. Nevertheless, Texas’ Attorney General Ken Paxton has agreed to hold an inquiry into the multiple colourings and other additives being used in WK Kellogg cereals including Froot Loops, Apple Jacks and Frosted Flakes.
Kellogg’s had previously agreed to remove different types of blue, red, yellow, green, and orange artificial food colorings, and the preservative BHT from the products. But it has apparently not done so… Yet.
“Petroleum-based artificial food colorings that have been linked to hyperactivity, obesity, autoim-mune disease, endocrine-related health problems, and cancer in those who consume them,” a news release from the Texas AG’s office says.
Strong language
“A critical part of fighting for our children’s future is putting an end to companies’ deceptive practices that are aimed at misleading parents and families about the health of food products,” Paxton says, in the release.
“Artificial food colorings have been shown to have disastrous impacts on health, and in no world should foods that include these dyes be advertised as ‘healthy’. There will be accountability for any company, including Kellogg’s, that unlawfully makes misrepresentations about its food and con-tributes to a broken health system that has made Americans less healthy.”
Part of the problem is that Kellogg’s has removed the contentious ingredients from the products in question in other jurisdictions, including Canada and the EU.
My take
On the other hand… The jury remains out on some artificial food colourings in still other jurisdictions where food health advocacy groups have raised the issue. Actually, it’s a mess some folks on both sides of the matter insist.
So… At this time, the situation includes not only the health issues, but the double standard Kellogg’s seems to hold itself to vis à vis additives in general…
~ Maggie J.