Legislation would prohibit certain food additives in commercial products and ban multiple artificial dyes from food served in schools.
Trenton, NJ – A New Jersey Senate committee has advanced legislation that would ban several food additives from commercial food products and prohibit a number of artificial dyes from foods served in schools.
The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reported Senate Bill 3016 favorably Monday with amendments expanding the list of restricted substances.
Key Points
• Four additives would be banned from commercial food sold in New Jersey
• Six artificial food dyes would be prohibited in school foods starting in 2028
• Violations could carry fines ranging from $50 to $1,000
Additives targeted in commercial food
The amended bill adds four substances to the list of ingredients that would classify food as adulterated under state law.
Those substances include brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3.
Under the proposal, businesses would be prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or possessing for sale any food containing those ingredients once the law takes effect.
Enforcement would be handled by the New Jersey Department of Health under the State Sanitary Code.
Artificial dyes banned in school foods
The legislation also bars six additional artificial food dyes from food served, sold, or distributed anywhere on school property during the school day.
The banned dyes include red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, blue 1, blue 2, and green 3.
The prohibition would apply to meals, snacks, and items distributed through programs such as the federally reimbursable After School Snack Program.
Implementation timeline and penalties
If enacted, the restrictions on commercial food additives would take effect one year after the bill becomes law.
The school food dye ban would take effect Aug. 1, 2028, giving schools and food providers time to adjust products and purchasing practices.
Violations would be treated as separate offenses and could result in fines ranging from $50 to $1,000 for each violation under existing state law.