A Texas bill requiring food products with certain ingredients to include a warning label has been signed into law and is set to take effect in 2027.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 25, the Make Texas Healthy Again bill into law Sunday night. He was joined by Calley Means, special adviser to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The bill includes a number of provisions tied to Kennedy’s goals through the MAHA movement. But perhaps the most significant provision for the food industry would require manufacturers to add a warning label to products that include one of 44 ingredients. These include food dyes and additives that are banned in other countries but do have federal approval.
The label would read: “WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom."
This bill would kick in starting in 2027 with some conditions. It applies to any label “developed or copyrighted on or after January 1, 2027.” Additionally, if a federal agency issues new regulations on an ingredient starting Sept. 1, it no longer requires the warning label.
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Rather than reformulating products, food industry sources said it’s more likely companies will adjust their supply chains. This could drive up costs for consumers, especially if the landscape becomes more complex with other state labeling bills, like a similar measure in Louisiana that would require a QR code on similar products.
Across the country, state legislatures have passed other bills in line with the MAHA movement. This includes measures compelling state leaders to request waivers to restrict certain foods from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. So far, USDA has approved six of these waivers, meaning those states can restrict items like soda, candy and energy drinks.
A wave of state bills banning certain food dyes from school meals and eventually from shelves prompted the Food and Drug Administration to launch a federal strategy to remove artificial food dyes from the supply chain. The strategy largely relies on voluntary action from food manufacturers. But many companies have fallen in line with this plan, and recently announced intentions to remove artificial dyes from products.Also last night, Abbott vetoed a state ban on THC products. Instead, he called a special session of the state legislature and urged lawmakers to regulate the product.For more news, go to Agri-Pulse.com.
