What to Know About the 4 Food Additives Banned by California

California has banned four common food additives — Red Dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben — through the California Food Safety Act.

The law will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2027, which offers “significant time for brands to revise their recipes to avoid these harmful chemicals,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement to members of the California State Assembly on Oct. 7, when he signed the bill into law. After that, any person or entity that manufactures, sells or distributes food products in California that contain the additives can be fined up to $5,000 for a first violation and up to $10,000 for each additional violation.

Here’s what to know about the ingredients, why they were banned and what it means for you, whether you live in California or elsewhere.

What are the additives, and what food products are they in?

The four banned ingredients are most commonly found in ultraprocessed foods. Red Dye No. 3 is used as a colorant in red or pink icings, drinks and candies, especially ones that are flavored with cinnamon, peppermint, cherry or berry. This includes many holiday-themed candies, like conversation hearts, candy corn and candy canes, as well as some brands of jelly beans. Brominated vegetable oil is found primarily in citrus-flavored store-brand sodas, where it works as a stabilizer for the flavor oils. Potassium bromate acts a leavening agent, and propylparaben is a preservative: They are typically used in packaged baked goods, including tortillas, breads and pastries.

Why were they banned?

Research conducted over the past few decades, primarily in animals, has linked the four chemicals to cancer, reproductive issues and neurobehavioral concerns, such as hyperactivity. Some of these problems may stem from the potential effects some of the chemicals have on the endocrine system, which controls hormone function in the body.

A big focus of the California law is protecting children, who are generally more likely to consume food products that contain these chemicals. Experts say children are also at a greater risk for potential negative consequences from food additives because their developing organs are more vulnerable.

Because of these types of concerns, the use of these chemicals in food items is already prohibited in the European Union, as well as in several other countries.

I don’t live in California. Will other states ban these ingredients, too?

New York state legislators proposed a similar statewide ban earlier this year; the bill is currently with the Senate Agriculture Committee.

In California, Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, who initially proposed that state’s bill in April, said in a statement that the purpose of the bill was not to pull foods that contain the additives from supermarket shelves. Instead, it will require food companies to “switch to the safer alternative ingredients that they already use in Europe and so many other places around the globe.” If food manufacturers update their recipes for California, it’s possible that the removal of the chemicals could become more widespread across the United States.

The Food and Drug Administration occasionally reassesses authorized food additives at the request of stakeholders, or as new relevant research comes out. The agency is currently re-evaluating Red Dye No. 3 and brominated vegetable oil, which could lead to nationwide changes.

In an email to The New York Times, an F.D.A. official wrote that when the agency identifies “new data and information that indicates the use of an ingredient is unsafe, we take steps to protect public health.”

How concerned should I be about these additives?

It’s unclear if these chemicals are harmful in very small amounts, and the F.D.A. has limits for how much of a given food additive can be used in a product.

Eating a few candy corn once a year probably isn’t something to worry about on its own. But because these chemicals are in so many food products, in reality we “are getting cumulative exposure from multiple sources,” said Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington who researches endocrine disrupters.

Going forward, the best way to mitigate your potential risk from these chemicals is to avoid them by choosing fresh, unprocessed foods and looking at labels, Dr. Sathyanarayana said. Many brands have started to move away from these additives, so it is possible to find products with less harmful ingredients, she added.

Are there other additives of concern to avoid?

Initially, the California bill proposed banning a fifth ingredient, titanium dioxide, which is used as a whitening agent. It’s found in many candies, as well as some creamy salad dressings, frozen pizzas and ice cream.

The European Union banned titanium dioxide as a food additive in 2022 because of concerns that it can damage DNA. It was removed from the California bill through a State Senate amendment in September, but it is currently still included in the proposed New York bill.