Quick Hit:

Florida Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has introduced two legislative bills, the Do or Dye Act and the Stop Spoonfuls of Fake Sugar Act, aiming to make American diets healthier by banning certain harmful color additives and high-fructose corn syrup.

Key Details:

• The Do or Dye Act targets toxic food dyes such as Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Yellow No. 6, classifying foods containing these additives as adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

• The Stop Spoonfuls of Fake Sugar Act seeks to classify any food containing high-fructose corn syrup as adulterated, also under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

• Congresswoman Luna emphasizes that these bills are a step towards preventing corporations and the FDA from allowing harmful ingredients that contribute to health issues like type 2 diabetes and various mental health conditions.

Diving Deeper:

Today, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13) introduced a legislative package designed to improve Americans’ diets by banning certain color additives and high-fructose corn syrup. The Do or Dye Act and the Stop Spoonfuls of Fake Sugar Act seek to restrict the use of toxic food dyes like Red No. 40 and Yellow Nos. 5 and 6, and high-fructose corn syrup in foods produced in the United States. These bills propose amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to classify foods containing these ingredients as adulterated.

“It is time that we stop allowing unaccountable corporations and the complicit Food and Drug Administration to poison our families. Far too many Americans are suffering needlessly from type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes, and mental health conditions as a result of artificial and harmful ingredients that are in nearly every refrigerator and pantry in our country,” said Congresswoman Luna. “Not only are we consuming spoonfuls of high-fructose corn syrup every day, but many of the foods and snacks we consume have dyes linked to an alarming number of health conditions.”

The Do or Dye Act specifically addresses the issue of harmful color additives in food. The bill outlines that, effective immediately upon enactment, color additives such as Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, and any similar additives will be deemed unsafe for use in or on food. Consequently, any food containing these additives will be considered adulterated within the meaning of section 402(c) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act​​.

Similarly, the Stop Spoonfuls of Fake Sugar Act focuses on high-fructose corn syrup, aiming to classify any food containing this ingredient as adulterated. This bill includes a provision for delayed applicability, set to take effect one year after the enactment of the act, allowing time for manufacturers to comply with the new regulations​​.

“Anna Paulina Luna” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED.