(NewsNation) — In Texas, a bill has reached Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk requiring warning labels on packaged foods like Doritos, Mountain Dew and M&M’s that contain certain additives.
The bill, passed unanimously by the Texas state Senate, would mandate labels on products that include synthetic dyes, titanium dioxide, bleached flour, partially hydrogenated oils, melatonin and various food colorings.
In April, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of 2026.
Kennedy has advocated for the Texas legislation.
“Secretary Kennedy encourages states to promote healthy practices and enhance consumer transparency in food labeling,” an HHS official told NewsNation. “Americans deserve to know what’s in their food, so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families.”
However, several companies and organizations, including the Texas Retailers Association, have criticized portions of the bill.
“The food labeling provision in this bill casts an incredibly wide net, triggering warning labels on everyday grocery items based on assertions that foreign governments have banned such items, rather than on standards established by Texas regulators or the USDA,” the organization said in a statement.
If the bill is approved, Texas would become one of the first states to require such disclosures, potentially reshaping national food industry standards.