Governor Patrick Morrisey signed a legislative template that prohibits food with some artificial food dyes from being sold in West Virginia from January 1, 2028. (Leann Ray | West Virginia Watch)
Governor Patrick Morrisey signed an invoice on Monday, which contains a list of artificial food dyes in food in grocery stores or in school lunches.
The Republican legislator behind the measure said that the synthetic red, blue, green and yellow dyes are unnecessary and harmful. They have connected them with behavioral problems In children.
“West Virginia is at the end of many key figures for public health, which is why there is no better place to lead the” Make America Heal “mission,” said Morrisey. “By eliminating harmful chemicals from our food, we take steps to improve the health of our residents and to protect our children from considerable long-term health and learning challenges.”
Several states consider similar legislation, and West Virginia is the first state to adopt a comprehensive ban on synthetic food coloring.
House bill 2354 Prohibitions the apply of seven artificial dyes – red no. 3, red No. 40, yellow No. 5, yellow No. 6, blue No. 1, blue No. 2 and Green No. 3 – in the school meals from August 1st.
The dyes would be for sale together with the preserved butylier hydroxyanisol and propylic parabens in drugs and foods that are in the state of January 1, 2028.
“This extended period enables companies to adapt enough and to protect consumers from price increases,” says a press release from the governor’s office.
The state’s food and beverage industry pushed back In the measure, warning that this would lead to increased purchase prices and empty shelves. Alternative ingredients are not scaled, they said.
Del. Evan Worrell, R-Cabell, claimed that the food industry used “fear tactics” to combat the invoice.
“Although it has to take many steps to improve our health results, this calculation begins with the fact that the manufacturers do not choose” poison for profit “in our food supply,” he said. “I welcome the governor to sign the law on the food dye. The governor believes in the [Make America Healthy Again] Movement like me and we take steps to improve health health in West Virginia. “
The US health and human service secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has told food executives Removing artificial food dyes has an urgent priority.
“Many thanks to the legislature, the HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the entire Trump administration that helped us start this movement here in West Virginia,” said Morrisey.
