Story at-a-glance
- Texas Senate Bill 25 requires processed foods with banned ingredients to display a warning label stating they are “not recommended for human consumption.” It was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 22, 2025 and takes effect September 1
- The law targets 44 harmful ingredients already banned overseas, including artificial dyes, seed oils, bleached flour, and chemical preservatives found in everyday snacks
- Companies like PepsiCo, General Mills, and Walmart lobbied hard to weaken the bill, arguing it would hurt profits and create “confusion” for consumers
- Industry pressure already forced lawmakers to remove aspartame and high fructose corn syrup — two ingredients with known health risks — from the bill’s scope
- Loopholes in the bill allow old packaging to remain on shelves for years, giving food companies time to keep selling toxic products without new warning labels
Skittles, Doritos, Froot Loops, and other popular snacks found in many grocery stores may carry an additional label in the future — “not fit for human consumption.” This may sound satirical, but it’s not; it’s what a landmark Texas bill will soon require, having been officially signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 22, 2025. The new law takes effect on September 1, 2025.1,2
Processed foods are loaded with artificial additives, synthetic dyes, partially hydrogenated oils, and seed oils that have been consistently linked to obesity and chronic diseases. But while many of these ingredients are already banned in other countries, they are still rampant in the U.S. food system. Through this legislation, consumers will be able to be fully informed about what’s lurking in their food — a “much-needed and long-overdue step” toward making healthier, wiser food choices.
‘Make Texas Healthy Again’ Bill Targets Toxic Ingredients in Processed Foods
An article from the Children’s Health Defense (CHD) puts Senate Bill 25 (SB 25) in the spotlight. Unanimously passed by the Texas Senate and backed by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this legislation will require foods and beverages sold in the state of Texas to carry a label stating they are “not recommended for human consumption” if they contain banned ingredients.3
• SB 25 targets 44 ingredients in processed foods — These include artificial preservatives, synthetic dyes, partially hydrogenated oils, seed oils, and bleached flour. These ingredients are linked to the chronic disease epidemic in the U.S., and are either banned or required to have warning labels in other countries like the U.K., Canada, Australia, or the European Union (EU).
• Once the bill takes effect, food products will be required to carry the label by 2027 — According to Chron, the proposed label will say: “WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authorities in Australia, Canada, the European Union or the United Kingdom.”4
• Violators are expected to pay a hefty sum — “It would empower the Texas Attorney General’s Office to fine violators $50,000 per day per product plus reimbursement of enforcement costs,” CHD reports.
• The bill seeks to improve nutritional education in the state — SB 25 also established the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee, a seven-member panel to be appointed by the governor. The committee will be tasked to create nutritional guidelines for Texans.
• SB 25 also aims to improve nutrition education in schools — Learning institutions will be required to increase physical education requirements and develop nutrition education courses. Health professionals are also required to take continuing education courses in nutrition and metabolic health.
Being the country’s first major food labeling bill in decades,5 SB 25 is not only a significant victory for RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement,” but could also reshape nationwide food standards. This is because companies usually implement changes mandated by major states on a nationwide scale “to avoid regulatory overlap” — and Texas is the second-largest U.S. state in terms of population, with more than 31 million residents in 2024.6
No Surprise — Big Food Strongly Opposed SB 25
As expected, food and beverage manufacturers scrambled to halt this legislation, as they are fully aware that this single line of text will shake the foundation of the processed food industry. Their complaint? The law casts “an incredibly wide net” and, according to them, could hurt both consumers and employees in Texas.7
• Dozens of major corporations responded with intense lobbying — Food corporations like General Mills, PepsiCo, and Walmart organized meetings with lawmakers in Austin and submitted a strongly worded letter on May 19, signed by over 60 companies.
• Food companies argued that Texas was “outpacing national food labeling standards” — They also warned that the bill would “destabilize local and regional economies” and would also lead to limited access to foods during these times of economic uncertainty.
John Hewitt, senior vice president of state affairs at Consumer Brands Association (which represents several large U.S. food manufacturers), urged Abbott to veto SB 25. He argued that while the food industry agrees with providing transparency in the ingredients they use, this law’s labeling requirements would not only lead to legal risks for brands but also confuse consumers and increase product costs.
• Their lobbying efforts were partially successful — High fructose corn syrup and aspartame, both flagged for health risks including metabolic dysfunction and neurotoxicity, were quietly removed. These sweeteners are widely used in everything from breakfast cereals to energy drinks and diet sodas. Their removal from the bill reveals exactly how much control the food industry still holds over public health policy.
• It’s clear that Big Food corporations are blatantly prioritizing their profits over consumer health — According to board-certified nutrition specialist Kendall Mackintosh, “Their pushback is predictable and telling. These companies profit from ultraprocessed, artificially enhanced products. Warning labels threaten their business model. It’s not about consumer confusion, it’s about protecting the bottom line.”
• The law also has loopholes that could be an advantage for Big Food companies — While the bill officially takes effect in September 2025, the new labeling rules will only apply to food packaged after January 1, 2027. This means companies could leave old packaging on shelves for up to a decade without any new warning labels.
When It Comes to Food Safety Regulations, the US Is Lagging Behind Other Developed Nations
The May 19 letter submitted by Big Food companies implies that the proposed legislation goes beyond national food labeling standards set by agencies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, as many food safety advocates have long argued, the procedures set by the FDA for regulating chemicals and ingredients in foods are lacking. One reason is that food companies can self-certify the safety of their ingredients under the FDA’s “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) certification process.
• The EU requires ingredients to pass regulatory approval before being used in food products — Food regulators are also required to reassess all chemical additives that were released before January 20, 2009. On the other hand, the FDA has no legal mandate to reevaluate ingredients once they’re on the market.
• In fact, the FDA has not reviewed the safety of at least 3,000 food additives currently in circulation — These include additives like titanium dioxide and potassium bromate. Although banned in Europe, both these chemicals are still legal in thousands of American foods today.
• Titanium dioxide and potassium bromate are included in SB 25’s list of chemicals — And rightly so. Titanium dioxide is a DNA-damaging additive found in your candy and snacks. Meanwhile, potassium bromate, used in bread and baked goods to help dough rise higher, was labeled a genotoxic carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) and banned in countries like the U.K., Canada, and India as far back as the 1990s.
• The FDA follows outdated regulations — In fact, certain chemicals that were previously approved are used extensively, despite new and growing evidence of their damaging effects. For example, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), which are allowed to be used as preservatives, are now flagged in studies for their cancer risk. Both of these are also included in SB 25’s toxic ingredient list.
Ultraprocessed foods have overly saturated the market and now make up a whopping 73% of the U.S. food supply. Because of their convenient and addictive nature, many people still find it difficult to eliminate these unhealthy foods from their diet. However, the more you continue ingesting them, the more damaging they become. In fact, chronic, low-level exposure causes subtle but widespread harm. Read more in this article, “How the FDA Lets Dangerous Chemicals Into the US Food Supply.”
Protect Yourself from Harmful Chemicals in Your Food
If you’ve ever felt like your food is working against your health, you’re not imagining it. Eating a highly processed food diet means you’re freely ingesting chemicals that are already prohibited in other developed nations. The good news is you’re not powerless.
One of the best ways to support future initiatives like SB 25 is to vote with your wallet. Stop buying junk foods that contain artificial dyes, toxic additives, and harmful preservatives and switch to whole food versions. By making smart shopping choices, you’re advocating for cleaner, safer ingredients. Here are other strategies I recommend:
• Check product labels — If you see any of the 44 items listed by SB 25 on your food label, skip it. It means the ingredients are banned elsewhere in the world. If it’s banned for other consumers, it’s not safe for you either.
• Be aware of product recalls — Always be on alert for FDA recalls, and lean on resources like the Environmental Working Group (EWG), Children’s Health Defense, and real-food communities that expose these issues.
• Support brands that prioritize transparency and natural formulations — This will not only protect your health but also pressure the industry to reform its practices. Even small, consistent changes in what you choose to buy will help drive large-scale improvements in food quality and labeling standards.
• Make whole foods the center of your meals — If you don’t recognize an ingredient, your body won’t either. That’s why eating real, minimally processed foods is the single best way to avoid these additives altogether. Focus on meat, fruit with pulp, whole root vegetables, pasture-raised eggs, and healthy fats like ghee, grass fed butter, and tallow. If you’ve already eliminated seed oils, good — now it’s time to strip out the rest of the chemical trash.
Remember, your food choices are your most direct line of defense. You don’t need a new law to start protecting yourself today. The sooner you start, the more power you take back from companies that rely on your confusion to stay profitable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Senate Bill 25
Q: What is Texas Senate Bill 25 and what does it aim to do?
A: Senate Bill 25 is a proposed Texas law that would require warning labels on processed foods and beverages containing any of 44 ingredients banned or restricted in countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, and the EU. These labels would state the product is “not recommended for human consumption” and aim to help consumers make informed choices about what they eat. On June 22, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott officially signed the bill.
Q: Which ingredients are being targeted by this bill?
A: The bill targets synthetic dyes, partially hydrogenated oils, bleached flour, seed oils, and chemical preservatives such as BHA and BHT. These additives have been linked to chronic diseases including cancer, obesity, and metabolic dysfunction.
Q: When would the labeling go into effect?
A: Now that it has been signed into law, the warning labels would be required starting January 1, 2027. However, the law only applies to packaging created or copyrighted after that date, which means older packaging could avoid labeling for up to 10 more years.
Q: How are food companies reacting to this legislation?
A: Major corporations like PepsiCo, General Mills, and Walmart have lobbied aggressively against the bill. They argue it would raise costs, create legal risks, and confuse consumers. Their efforts have already resulted in the removal of aspartame and high fructose corn syrup from the bill’s banned list.
Q: Why is this bill important for consumers?
A: This legislation would offer transparency that the U.S. food system currently lacks, allowing you to avoid harmful ingredients that are already banned in other countries. It’s a direct challenge to corporate influence over public health and a step toward safer, cleaner food.
Source: Original Article
Publish Date: 2025-07-08 06:00:00