Chances are, if you’ve ever eaten candy, you have probably consumed products made by the iconic confection company, Mars Wrigley. The company prides itself on making candy the same way the original owner, Frank C. Mars did, which is “one piece at a time.” This corporation also publicizes its supposed “rigorous” testing for quality, taste and—wait for it—safety. One of the popular products that Mars Wrigley makes today is the candy known as “Skittles.” Oddly, despite the assurance its makers give to candy buyers about safety, Assembly Bill 418, which just passed in the California State Assembly (and is expected to pass in the State Senate) seeks to ban Skittles (and other edible items) because they contain dangerous chemicals that are known to wreak havoc on human health.
The following list shows other companies whose products used to contain such chemicals. However, these major brands voluntarily quit using them:
- Coke
- Pepsi
- Dunkin Donuts
- Panera
- Papa John’s Pizza
- Gatorade
Assembly Bill 418 (if signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom) requires food and beverage companies to change their recipes. Such items would no longer be allowed to contain red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil or propyl paraben.
European Union banned chemicals in Skittles
In Europe, you can’t find food or drinks that contain the chemicals mentioned in the previous section because they’ve been banned. Such chemicals are linked to delayed development in children, as well as reproductive problems and cancer. The California Assembly member who sponsored Assembly Bill 418, Jesse Gabriel (D), has stated that the United States is far behind the rest of the world in banning dangerous additives in our food and beverages. Gabriel says that is “unacceptable.”
Many representatives of the U.S. food and beverage industry have publicly expressed opposition to Assembly Bill 418. They claim that the additives have been “deemed safe,” and that a law banning the chemicals in food and beverages would usurp the safety systems already in place.
People are frustrated about food in the US
Consumers are tired of spending hard-earned money on crappy food. It’s that simple. Actually, it’s worse than “crappy.” Much of the food supply in the U.S. is contaminated and toxic. The only way to ensure that the food on your table is truly healthy is to grow it yourself. Even that is no longer a guarantee. Why? Because many seeds contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which, interestingly, more than 25 countries have also banned.
You can purchase heirloom seeds and other non-GMO products for your garden. Most people don’t have the time or money to become self-sustaining for their food supply. Don’t let that discourage you. Anything you grow yourself is beneficial to your health. If you want to start a garden or just plant a few crops but aren’t sure where to begin, visit our archives. This post and this one are good places to start. For more great ideas, simply type “gardening” into the search bar on our home page.
Think twice before eating Skittles
Some people think that it’s really no big deal to eat this food or that, or to drink a beverage that contains chemicals that may be hazardous to their health. They say “everything’s bad for you nowadays.” If you share that mindset, you might want to reconsider. There are so many illnesses, some which may be lethal, that might be preventable by a change in diet or lifestyle.
We really have to ask ourselves what the goal of a corporation like Mars Wrigley is in manufacturing a brightly colored, festive-looking candy that is marketed to children, while at the same time, containing additives that are dangerous to their health. It will be interesting to see if Assembly Bill 418 passes in the California State Senate and, after that, if Governor Newsom signs it into law. Do you think that would be a first step toward banning these chemicals from Skittles and other foods and beverages nationwide? Share your thoughts in a comment under this post on our Facebook page.
