Food additives: Oklahoma senator hopeful for stalled bill

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Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill intended to rid grocery store products in Oklahoma of many artificial additives and food dyes stalled in the Senate, but its author said she remains hopeful that it eventually will pass into law and make products healthier.

Senate Bill 4 took aim specifically at 21 chemical additives and dyes commonly incorporated as ingredients in products from breakfast cereals to ice cream bars. Some, according to the bill’s author, Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, have been linked to health problems such as hyperactivity in children and increased cases of cancer in adults.

The bill earned a passing vote through a Senate committee assigned to give it initial consideration, but it did not advance for a vote of the full Senate before a key legislative deadline was reached.

Thompson said concerns about the safety of such chemical additives as aspartame and potassium bromate and artificial colorings such as blue dye 1 and yellow dye 6 have been on the rise not only in Oklahoma but across the nation. As conversations continue and people become more educated, she predicted that her bill, or at least the language in it, will be revived.

“Nothing is over until sine die (the final day of the legislative session),” she said.

The measure also could be reconsidered during the 2026 session of the Legislature.

SB 4 proposed to ban the 21 identified additives from food products in Oklahoma by 2027 and to ban them from ingestible drugs by 2028. Under its provisions, the State Board of Agriculture would have the authority to issue “stop-sale” orders or take other enforcement actions.

While advocating for the bill before the Senate committee, Thompson said Americans likely have placed too much faith in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to prevent potentially harmful additives from being incorporated as ingredients in grocery store products. For years, she said, the FDA has allowed companies to all but regulate themselves in their use of additives meant to enhance the color or texture of products to make them more marketable.

Some senators expressed reservations about the measure, including that it could potentially harm small businesses or consumers by forcing manufacturers to raise prices on products. Some aired concerns about “government overreach” in dictating what kinds of products Oklahomans might choose to buy.

Thompson responded that the government has actually failed in providing responsible oversight to ensure that products are safe for consumers. She said lawmakers should be concerned about the potential negative effects on the economy of health problems that may be attributed to chemical additives and food dyes.

“This is a moment for Oklahoma to step up, be ahead of the curve and ensure the safety of our food supply,” she told her colleagues in the Senate.

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Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer

The Tulsa World newsroom is committed to covering this community with curiosity, tenacity and depth. Our passion for telling the story of Tuls…