Texans could soon see warning labels on popular snacks like Doritos and M&M’s under a new state bill aimed at ingredients banned overseas. The measure would require labels on packaged foods containing substances โnot recommended for human consumptionโ by authorities in Australia, Canada, the European Union or the United Kingdom.
Texas Senate Bill 25 passed the Texas Legislature and now awaits Gov. Greg Abbottโs signature. If signed into law, it would take effect in 2027 and apply to newly developed product labels.
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Pending legislation in Texas, Senate Bill 25, targets over 40 ingredients, including synthetic dyes and preservatives banned or restricted in Australia, Canada, the EU and the U.K.
Which ingredients are affected?
The bill targets more than 40 food additives and colorants, including synthetic dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5 and Blue 1, chemical preservatives such as BHA and BHT, and texturizers like titanium dioxide and DATEM. These substances are used in widely consumed products like Froot Loops, M&M’s, Doritos, Skittles and Mountain Dew.
While many of these ingredients remain legal in the United States, theyโre already banned or tightly restricted in several other countries due to concerns about hyperactivity in children, allergic reactions and potential cancer risks.
The bill includes an exemption for foods regulated by federal agencies like the Food and Drug Administration or the U.S. Department of Agriculture unless those agencies take new action on an ingredient after Sept. 1, 2025.
Could this impact labels nationwide?
Although the law would only apply in Texas, food manufacturers often make nationwide changes rather than create separate labels for individual states. Similar ripple effects followed past state-level laws, such as Vermontโs genetically modified organism, or GMO, labeling law, which prompted many companies to label genetically modified ingredients nationwide. Californiaโs Proposition 65 led to warning labels for chemicals linked to cancer or reproductive harm.ย
Major industry players, including PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Mondelฤz International, Inc. and Walmart oppose the Texas bill. In a joint letter reported on by Newsweek, they argued it creates legal confusion and logistical headaches by relying on foreign standards. The Consumer Brands Association, according to Fortune, urged Abbott to veto the measure and said U.S. ingredients are already subject to rigorous safety reviews.
West Virginia passed a similar law in March 2025 that banned several synthetic dyes and preservatives, including Red 40, Blue 1 and BHA. That law takes effect in 2028. Legislatures in at least 30 other states, mostly Democratic-led, are considering comparable measures, signaling a growing nationwide push for transparency in food labeling.
What is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s role in the debate?
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly backed the bill as part of his โMake America Healthy Againโ initiative. In April, HHS and the FDA announced plans to phase out petroleum-based dyes by the end of 2026 and accelerate the approval of natural alternatives. Theyโre also partnering with the National Institutes of Health to study how food additives affect childrenโs development.
