The four items that are the target of this ban are ingredients. This ban does not force companies to stop selling or distributing foods in California; rather, the goal is to change the recipes to make the foods safer. The law does, however, prohibit manufacturers of these four products from operating in the state.
The scope of this law affects roughly 12,000 products. For example, while many manufacturers have removed it, you can still find brominated vegetable oil in soft drinks; potassium bromate can be found in bread and pastries; muffins, trail mixes, tortillas, and more could potentially contain propylparaben; and red dye No. 3 can be found in everything from cakes and cookies to popular candy.
While this law was passed on October 7, it won’t take effect for a few years. Manufacturers will have until January 1, 2027, to adjust their recipes to eliminate the four items. If companies don’t comply, they will receive fines of up to $10,000 for violations.