Latest news with #MakeTexasHealthyAgain
The Hill
29-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
A new Texas law could have wider effect on how food products are made, experts suggest
(NEXSTAR) – A new law in Texas could have a significant influence over how foods are presented — or even manufactured — in the rest of the country. Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott signed into law hundreds of bills last week, including one concerning a requirement for food manufacturers to disclose the use of any of 44 food additives through a 'prominent and reasonably visible' label on the packaging. These additives include artificial dyes, certain enzymes, molecularly altered oils, and additives banned in other countries, among other ingredients. 'WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom,' the label would read, according to the language of SB 25. The bill had previously passed through the Texas legislature as part of a 'Make Texas Healthy Again' initiative. But it may very well have implications far outside of Texas, if food manufacturers end up deciding to label or revamp their products for the market as a whole, according to Jennifer L. Falbe, an associate professor of Nutrition and Human Development at UC Davis. 'It is encouraging to see bipartisan support for food industry reform,' Falbe, who recently co-authored a study on the effectiveness of front-of-package labels, told Nexstar. 'Policies in a large state like Texas can have ramifications for the rest of the country.' Speaking with the Washington Post, Scott Faber of the Environmental Working Group said there was 'no question' that such a law would influence how food companies do business in the rest of the U.S. 'When a state as big as Texas requires a warning, that will have an impact on the entire marketplace,' he told the outlet. Even still, it may take years to learn how the new law ends up influencing how food companies label or manufacture their products in Texas and beyond. According to the language of the bill, the warning labels would only apply to 'a food product label developed or copyrighted on or after January 1, 2027.' As noted by Stat, the entire requirement could also be moot if the federal government introduces its own legislation regarding food labeling before 2027. There's also another potential problem with the law: The language surrounding the additives may be inaccurate. A review cited by the Associated Press found that almost a dozen of the 44 additives listed are in fact allowed in some of the foreign regions where the label required by the Texas law claims they're not, while several are allowed in all of them. And others, like Red Dye No. 4, are already banned in the U.S. 'I don't know how the list of chemicals was constructed,' Thomas Galligan, a scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told the Associated Press. 'Warnings have to be accurate in order to be legal.' Falbe says the warning also does little to deter food manufacturers from limiting sodium or sugar, even if they end up removing any offending additives from the ingredients list. 'To the extent that sugary and salty products also contain the additives in the Texas law, the warning could drive healthier choices in the near term. But they may also incentivize food companies to replace a limited set of additives to avoid labeling, without fundamentally improving the quality of foods and beverages,' says Falbe. 'For example, a sugary soda that has a coloring agent replaced with another is still a soda — it is still going to increase disease risk. Same with a sugary cereal or a salty soup.' Falbe's study, published this month, indicates that consumers would more accurately assess the nutrition profile of a given food if it had clearer front-of-package labeling highlighting the saturated fat, sodium and added sugar content. And that's also what she believes the federal government should be pushing food manufacturers to include. 'Front-of-package warning labels indicating high amounts of added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat increase consumer knowledge, help people make healthier choices, and nudge the food industry to make healthier products,' Falbe said.
The Hill
23-06-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Abbott signs MAHA measure requiring food warning labels in Texas
A far-reaching Texas bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Sunday will force manufacturers of processed foods and drinks to put warning labels on any products containing 44 different food additives or dyes believed to be toxic to human health. While the law, which aligns with the 'Make America Healthy Again' goals of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is limited to Texas, the state's hefty population of more than 31 million gives it significant sway in the food industry. 'It's official! Make Texas Healthy Again has been signed!' State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R) posted Sunday night on X, adding that the measure would ensure 'consumers are informed and can make better choices for their families.' The health law has other pillars: It mandates physical education and recess in schools and protects access to exercise even for kids in detention, and it requires that students in Texas pre-med programs and medical schools be taught about nutrition. Curriculum for that program and K-12 health classes would be developed by a new Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee, from which anyone working in the processed food business — or their relatives — would be excluded. But from a national perspective, the food labeling guidelines are the most significant, because any company that wants to sell in Texas will have to either remove those compounds or post a warning label. The law contains one big exception: Food manufacturers will not have to disclose the presence of pesticides, which may cause as big a risk for cancer as smoking cigarettes. But included among the chemicals are suspected cancer-causing chemicals such as potassium bromate, a common additive to bread products; titanium dioxide, a dye banned in the EU that is used to whiten soups and baked goods; the preservative BHA, which disrupts the all-encompassing endocrine system; and several synthetic food dyes such as Red 40 and Yellow 5 and 6 that are found to cause hyperactivity in children. In 1986, Californians passed Proposition 65, which required companies to label consumer products that contained chemicals that could cause cancer, reproductive or developmental harm — leading many companies to reformulate their supply chains to avoid those products, one study found. But this didn't necessarily make consumer products safer, researchers noted. Because material science advances far faster than the research into the harms caused by novel chemicals — let alone their regulation — in the aftermath of Proposition 65, many manufacturers reformulated products to remove harmful chemicals 'only to replace them with an unlisted chemical that might also be harmful but doesn't require a warning.' Many of these will be hard for manufacturers to swap out for reasons related to their potential health impacts. Petroleum-based synthetic dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 6 for example, are used in candies and children's breakfast cereals because their stable chemical structure keeps colors bright in food that may sit on shelves for months. And endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as BHA — despite the way they may play havoc on all the body's systems — are nonetheless more effective at keeping foods from rotting, despite their health impacts to consumers. Two main food manufacturers — Kraft and General Mills — have announced plans to phase out food dyes this decade.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Some popular foods may soon require warning labels in Texas
The Brief Texas could be among the first states to require warning labels on foods containing artificial dyes and some chemicals. Senate Bill 25 is waiting for Gov. Abbott's signature. The bill includes an increased physical activity requirement for middle school students and nutrition education for undergraduate students at colleges and universities. AUSTIN, Texas - The next time a Texan buys a Mountain Dew or a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos, they might find a warning that it contains ingredients that other countries say shouldn't be eaten. Senate Bill 25 currently sits on Gov. Greg Abbott's desk awaiting his signature. The bill would require products that contain certain food additives to have a warning label that says those additives are "not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom." The warning label must be placed in a "prominent and reasonably visible" location on the packaging and must be easily readable on the background of the packaging. The bill would only apply to packages produced after Jan. 1, 2027. More than 40 ingredients that could trigger the warning label under the Make Texas Healthy Again bill. READ MORE: FDA aims to eliminate petroleum-based synthetic dyes in food by end of 2026 The ingredients that would trigger the warning label include: Acetylayed esters of mono- and diglycerides (acetic acid ester) Anisole Azodicarbonamide (ADA) Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) Bleached flour Blue 1 (CAS 3844-45-9) Blue 2 (CAS 860-22-0) Bromated flour Calcium bromate Canthaxanthin Certified food colors by the United States Food and Drug Administration Citrus red 2 (CAS 6358-53-8) Diacetyl Diacetyl tartaric and fatty acid esters of mono- and diglycerides (DATEM) Dimethylamylamine (DMAA) Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS) Ficin Green 3 (CAS 2353-45-9) Interesterified palm oil Interesterified soybean oil Lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propylene glycol Lye Morpholine Olestra Partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) Potassium aluminum sulfate Potassium bromate Potassium iodate Propylene oxide Propylparaben Red 3 (CAS 16423-68-0) Red 4 (CAS 4548-53-2) Red 40 (CAS 25956-17-6) Sodium aluminum sulfate Sodium lauryl sulfate Sodium stearyl fumarate Stearyl tartrate Synthetic trans fatty acid Thiodipropionic acid Titanium dioxide Toluene Yellow 5 (CAS 1934-21-0) Yellow 6 (CAS 2783-94-0) Beyond the food warning labels, SB25 mandates more time for health and exercise in public schools. Currently, students in grades six, seven and eight are required to participate in four semesters of at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. That number would increase to six semesters under SB 25. In higher education, students in an undergraduate degree program would be required to take a class in nutrition education as developed by the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee. The committee would be appointed by the governor by Dec. 31, 2025. The seven-member committee would at least include: One expert in metabolic health, culinary medicine, lifestyle medicine, or integrative medicine One licensed physician certified in functional medicine One member representing the Texas Department of Agriculture One member representing a rural community One member representing an urban community One pediatrician specializing in metabolic health Doctors and nurses would be required to complete continuing education on nutrition and metabolic health in order to remain licensed in Texas. The Source Information on Senate Bill 25 comes from the Texas Legislature. Information on products containing artificial dyes comes from those individual ingredient labels.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How RFK Jr., Democrats and Republicans found common ground over food labels in Texas
Months ago, when Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chair Lois Kolkhorst first held a hearing on Senate Bill 25 — requiring among other things, warning labels on foods containing certain additives — the first person to speak was Calley Means, a top adviser to U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy. 'Texas can really lead here…These bills represent a Texas way that prioritizes transparency, prioritizes good education and prioritizes incentive change,' said Means, a former food and pharmaceutical consultant, who spearheaded the federal Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. He's also the brother of Casey Means, President Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. Surgeon General. It was a powerful opening to Kolkhorst's first Senate health committee meeting of the year and also signaled immediately that Kolkhorst's SB 25 — also called the Make Texas Healthy Again bill — and other efforts of fellow Republicans dovetailed perfectly with those on the federal level by echoing Kennedy's interests. For a relatively quiet Texas legislative session for health, the RFK effect stands out. Republican-backed bills on everything from putting more regulation on doctors who administer COVID-19 vaccines and letting parents opt out of childhood immunizations more easily, to halting the use of food stamps to purchase sugary drinks and SB 25 have either passed or are about to before the end of session today. It begs the question, though, of exactly who is calling the shots in the Texas Capitol. Is Kennedy directing Texas, using the state as perhaps a test kitchen for his larger initiatives, or is Texas out-MAHA-ing Washington? 'I think it's both,' said James Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. 'Long before Robert F. Kennedy gained some kind of surprising legitimacy by being named to the cabinet, these currents were already flowing in Texas, but they just get a lot more momentum from these national figures.' In a way, Washington and Austin have moved in on what was once the Democrats' exclusive turf: consumer health. It's become an easy pivot for Republicans as they incorporate healthy eating and exercise, traditionally left-leaning priorities, into typical GOP talking points such as national security, individual choice and reduction of health care costs. The result has been a seamless state-federal party alliance on an issue that can attract both the left and the right. Ten Democrats signed on in the Senate, and three Democrats in the House sponsored or co-sponsored SB 25. 'This is about the MAHA parents and the crunchy granola parents coming together to say, 'We are sick and tired of being sick and tired,'' Rep. Lacey Hull, R-Houston, said, before SB 25 passed the House on May 25. 'I have personally spoken to the White House who said they are looking to us, to Texas, to get this done to stand for our children and our future.' Alarmed food company executives from across the country flew into Austin when word spread that the Texas Legislature was prioritizing a bill requiring food labeling. A coalition of about 60 industry groups and producers, including Walmart, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Frito-Lay and General Mills, implored in a letter to Texas lawmakers to strip any requirement to label foods, saying the state 'could destabilize local and regional economies at a time when businesses are already fighting to keep prices down, maintain inventory and avoid layoffs.' As initially filed, SB 25 was wide-ranging, asking producers to put a warning label on any product containing artificial coloring, a food additive or other chemical ingredient banned by Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom. Sweeteners, including high fructose corn syrup and aspartame, were then later added to the proposed label list. After pushback from the food industry and from several House members during a 4-hour floor debate a week ago, Hull amended the bill to remove the sweeteners, but kept a list of 40-plus additives that would trigger a warning label. House Democrats still worried that the warning label requirement would push up food costs. 'What we don't want to do is destroy anyone's business and or create such a burden or financial cost that the cost of food will continue to rise,' said state Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, D-San Antonio. Kolkhorst back in February proclaimed that 'the market will adjust.' The bill was eventually weakened further when state Rep. Gary Van Deaver, a supporter of the bill, successfully proposed a change that invalidates SB 25's state labeling requirements for ingredients if the federal government moves forward with similar or a more far-reaching measure. The state labeling requirements would take effect on Jan. 1, 2027 but a loophole exists that if on Dec. 31, 2026 a snack food producer wants to stick with its existing packaging for another decade, no warning label is needed because the new law only 'applies only to a food product label developed or copyrighted on or after January 1, 2027.' Even so, the bill takes a step forward that states across the U.S. are still mulling. For Kolkhorst, the bill boils down to a national conversation about the health of Americans, especially American children. 'This sweeping legislation is not just another bill. It's a call to action — one that so many Texans and Americans are realizing — that something is wrong and that something needs to change in our food industry and in our sedentary lifestyle,' Kolkhorst told The Texas Tribune. While most of the attention has been on the food labeling language, the bill contains a major education plank. SB 25 will require elementary, secondary and postsecondary educational institutions to re-prioritize health and exercise. It also forces health professionals to take continuing education courses regarding nutrition and metabolic health. And it will require recess or physical activity for kids in charter schools – physical activity is already required in public schools. Supporters of the bill, such as the Episcopal Health Foundation and the Meadow's Mental Health Policy Institute, see some big benefits for Texans. 'The amount of money and time we're spending treating diabetes as opposed to preventing it is huge, especially in Texas, especially in certain areas like East Texas,' said Brian Sasser, the foundation's chief communications officer. 'This is an important first step in changing that focus to prevention.' Diabetes care costs Texas Medicaid up to $8 billion annually. In a world that pretends the brain is not part of the body, this bill will put tools in the hands of children, parents and teachers to begin truly addressing emotional health and wellbeing, said Andy Keller, the president and CEO of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. 'I am proud of the work we have done with the encouragement of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. who personally called me and urged the passage of Senate Bill 25,' Kolkhorst said. In the summer of 2024, Kennedy was running for president on a campaign focused on rising chronic health concerns for many Americans, as well as vaccine hesitancy. At that time Means, who became Kennedy's right hand in the MAHA movement, was leading a coalition of health and fitness CEOs in pitching policies designed to rein in additives and promote healthier food choices. The end goal was to force 'Big Food' to offer healthier versions of food, like those found in Europe and Canada, through similar regulations. It's not surprising that Texas lawmakers, who are always on the lookout for the public's next policy fixation jumped on this opportunity, said Henson, of the Texas Politics Project. Lawmakers have to take advantage of openings to pursue agendas that come with some federal support. 'Without that national influence [some bills] might not have gone anywhere,' he said. And, the Trump administration knows how important Texas can be to its causes. As the nation's second largest state, both in size and population, any change in food regulation no matter how small, is expected to have a ripple effect elsewhere. Thirty years ago, regulations on food, the environment and land use, crafted by California's State Assembly, became policy standards for the rest of the country. In recent years, that title has shifted to Texas. The aim of Kolkhorst's bill is to change food formulas or perhaps offer Americans the same formulas sold to countries with stricter additive and coloring standards. Kolkhorst has maintained that no group had a role in crafting her bill, that it was unique to her and her staff based on the concerns of constituents. 'No outside groups provided any language for the filed version of SB 25," she told the Tribune. Nutrition advocates, who often fear legislative cuts to their programs, welcome the plug for more nutrition-backed measures. Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, which represents 20 food banks statewide, praised Kolkhorst and Hull for also spearheading the passage of House Bill 26, which creates a pilot program within Medicaid to offer pregnant moms with nutritional counseling and medically-tailored meals. "We share the Legislature's goal of improving the health of low-income Texans and were very encouraged to see a focus this session on the link between good nutrition and health," Cole said in a statement to the Tribune. Keller found the prospect of state and federal collaboration exciting. Texas ought to lead the nation in the fight for children's health, he said. 'Nothing actually, really happens at a national level,' Keller said. 'Ultimately, all decisions about the well-being of children happen locally.' Sen. Bryan Hughes agrees. Texas waits for no one, he said. His Senate Bill 314 bars certain food additives in free- and reduced-cost school lunches. 'As in so many cases we're not waiting on Washington. We're thankful for what's happening about health in Washington, but we're not going to wait on them. Texas will act,' Hughes said in February. Disclosure: Episcopal Health Foundation, Feeding Texas, and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
House vote advances ‘Make Texas Healthy Again' bill
AUSTIN (Nexstar) – Legislation dubbed the 'Make Texas Healthy Again' bill advanced in the Texas House Sunday night. The 105-28 vote showed bipartisan support for Senate Bill 25. The bill would require daily physical activity in public schools, a nutrition curriculum and food labels to warn Texas consumers which ingredients are banned in other countries. 'This is about the average Texan in the grocery store wanting to make healthy choices against a multi trillion dollar industry,' bill sponsor State Rep. Lacey Hull, R-Houston said as she presented the legislation on the House floor. 'Members we need to break the system and address chronic disease,' Hull added. SB 25 would establish the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee to create nutritional guidelines for Texans and examine links between food additives and chronic health. The seven-member committee would be appointed by the governor. The legislation would create additional physical education requirements for public school and charter school students. The bill also adds a requirement for the State Board of Education to adopt standards for students to learn about nutritional guidelines. Those guidelines would be recommended by the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee. The bill mirrors some of the elements of the 'Make America Healthy Again' commission established by President Donald Trump and led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., also known as MAHA. The MAHA commission has raised concern over life expectancy in the United States falling below that of other comparable countries. The commission has called for an emphasis on nutrition, lifestyle, and physical activity and for addressing an 'over-reliance on medication and treatments.' 'This is about the MAHA parents coming together with the crunchy granola parents coming together to say we are sick and tired of being sick and tired,' Hull said during her layout. She confirmed that the legislation shares the goals of the Trump administration. 'I have personally spoken to the White House, who said they are looking to us, to Texas, to get this done, to stand for our children and our future,' Hull said during her bill layout. The bill passed the Senate in March with unanimous support. That was not the case Sunday in the House. The vote on Senate Bill 25 came after Democrats attempted to block the legislation six different times by raising a point of order. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle proposed amendments to the bill, 19 in all. Most of the proposed amendments were rejected. The moves slowed down the process of passing SB 25, pushing back consideration of other legislation on the House calendar. The House faces a Tuesday deadline to advance Senate bills on second reading. State Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, voted against the bill, despite being in favor of many of the items in the legislation. 'I actually had high hopes for this bill when it was announced because some of the issues, especially dealing with chemicals, dealing with additives, are things that are important to me,' Wu said. 'What I did not expect was that this bill would turn into such a beast that there will be so many musts and shalls just jam down everyone's throats,' Wu continued, referencing concerns he had with the additional requirements on students that he believe could take time away from academics. State Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, acknowledged that she saw flaws with the legislation, but she believes the bill will help Texans. 'A lot of the Democratic amendments you heard today were very sincerely put before you because we thought that there were things we could do that could make the bill better,' Howard said. 'But the fact is, I am going to be supporting this bill. I think it takes us in a good direction.' Before the final vote, Hull told her colleagues that Kennedy had called her and praised the bill. 'This is the best bill in the entire nation. They are watching, and they want us to pass this bill,' Hull said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
