State food dye laws and effective dates

Last checked: October 31, 2026

By OTHER Natural Flavors, a service of Xponent21 Inc

Enacted state laws on synthetic dyes and related additives, with each effective date, its current status and the source. Bills that have not become law are listed separately.

Statewide bans, labels and enforcement

Item	Date	Status	What it says	What it means for you	Source
CaliforniaAB 418, California Food Safety ActStatewide ban	Jan 1, 2027	Final	Bans Red 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate and propylparaben in food sold in California. Penalties up to $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 after.	California's date falls two weeks before FDA's Red 3 deadline of Jan 15, 2027.	California Legislature, AB 418
West VirginiaHB 2354Statewide ban	Jan 1, 2028	On hold	Deems food with Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 or Green 3, plus BHA and propylparaben, adulterated statewide. A federal court preliminarily enjoined the statewide provisions on Dec 23, 2025. The Fourth Circuit tentatively set argument for Dec 8 to 11, 2026. The school provisions are not affected.	The broadest state law is paused, not repealed.	West Virginia Code 16-7-2
TexasSB 25Warning label	Labels developed or copyrighted on or after Jan 1, 2027	On hold	Requires a warning on foods with any of 44 listed ingredients not recommended for consumption in Australia, Canada, the EU or the UK. A federal court preliminarily enjoined enforcement on Feb 11, 2026 against the four plaintiff trade associations and their members. The appeal is pending at the Fifth Circuit.	Enforcement is paused only for the plaintiffs and their members.	Texas Legislature, SB 25
LouisianaSB 14, as amended by SB 57QR-code disclosure	Dec 31, 2028	Final	Requires a QR code on packaging linking to an ingredient notice for foods containing a listed ingredient. SB 57 (signed June 1, 2026) delayed the date from Jan 1, 2028 and narrowed the list.	Plan packaging updates for 2028.	Louisiana Legislature, SB 14
TexasAttorney general agreementsEnforcement	Announced June 18 and Aug 13, 2025	Complete	General Mills and WK Kellogg agreed with the Texas attorney general to remove artificial dyes from cereal. On Aug 19, 2026 the office announced that both had removed the dyes from K-12 cereals ahead of the 2026 school year.	Enforcement can come from a state attorney general without a new law.	Texas Attorney General, Aug 19, 2026 release

California
AB 418, California Food Safety Act
Statewide ban
Final
Date
Jan 1, 2027
What it says
Bans Red 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate and propylparaben in food sold in California. Penalties up to $5,000 for a first violation and $10,000 after.
What it means for you
California's date falls two weeks before FDA's Red 3 deadline of Jan 15, 2027.
Source
California Legislature, AB 418
West Virginia
HB 2354
Statewide ban
On hold
Date
Jan 1, 2028
What it says
Deems food with Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2 or Green 3, plus BHA and propylparaben, adulterated statewide. A federal court preliminarily enjoined the statewide provisions on Dec 23, 2025. The Fourth Circuit tentatively set argument for Dec 8 to 11, 2026. The school provisions are not affected.
What it means for you
The broadest state law is paused, not repealed.
Source
West Virginia Code 16-7-2
Texas
SB 25
Warning label
On hold
Date
Labels developed or copyrighted on or after Jan 1, 2027
What it says
Requires a warning on foods with any of 44 listed ingredients not recommended for consumption in Australia, Canada, the EU or the UK. A federal court preliminarily enjoined enforcement on Feb 11, 2026 against the four plaintiff trade associations and their members. The appeal is pending at the Fifth Circuit.
What it means for you
Enforcement is paused only for the plaintiffs and their members.
Source
Texas Legislature, SB 25
Louisiana
SB 14, as amended by SB 57
QR-code disclosure
Final
Date
Dec 31, 2028
What it says
Requires a QR code on packaging linking to an ingredient notice for foods containing a listed ingredient. SB 57 (signed June 1, 2026) delayed the date from Jan 1, 2028 and narrowed the list.
What it means for you
Plan packaging updates for 2028.
Source
Louisiana Legislature, SB 14
Texas
Attorney general agreements
Enforcement
Complete
Date
Announced June 18 and Aug 13, 2025
What it says
General Mills and WK Kellogg agreed with the Texas attorney general to remove artificial dyes from cereal. On Aug 19, 2026 the office announced that both had removed the dyes from K-12 cereals ahead of the 2026 school year.
What it means for you
Enforcement can come from a state attorney general without a new law.
Source
Texas Attorney General, Aug 19, 2026 release

School meal laws

Thirteen states have enacted school meal laws. Five are in force: West Virginia, Delaware, Utah, Arizona and Texas.

Item	Date	Status	What it says	Source
West VirginiaHB 2354 (school provisions)	In force since Aug 1, 2025	In force	7 dyes in school nutrition programs	West Virginia Legislature, HB 2354
DelawareSB 69	In force since July 1, 2026	In force	Red 40 only, in breakfast, lunch and competitive food on campus	Delaware Legislature, SB 69
UtahHB 402	In force, 2026-27 school year	In force	7 dyes, potassium bromate and propylparaben in public schools	Utah Legislature, HB 402
ArizonaHB 2164, Arizona Healthy Schools Act	In force, 2026-27 school year	In force	11 additives, including dyes, defining “ultraprocessed food” in federally funded schools	Arizona Legislature, HB 2164
TexasSB 314	In force, 2026-27 school year	In force	18 listed substances, including 7 dyes, in free and reduced-price school meals only	Texas Legislature, SB 314
VirginiaSB 1289 and HB 1910	July 1, 2027	Enacted	7 dyes in public school meals	Virginia LIS, SB 1289
NebraskaLB 940	On or after Aug 1, 2027	Enacted	Dyes and additives in school food	Nebraska Legislature, LB 940
IowaHF 2676	School years starting on or after July 1, 2027	Enacted	6 dyes, potassium bromate and propylparaben in school meals and on-campus sales	Iowa Legislature, HF 2676
TennesseeSB 2423	2027-28 school year	Enacted	Expands the 2025 Red 40 ban to all synthetic dyes	Tennessee Legislature, SB 2423
CaliforniaAB 2316	Dec 31, 2027	Enacted	6 dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3) in public schools	California Legislature, AB 2316
AlaskaSB 187	Jan 1, 2028	Enacted	7 dyes in school breakfast and lunch	Alaska Legislature, SB 187
New HampshireSB 577	July 1, 2028	Enacted	Only Red 3, Citrus Red 2 and Orange B in school meals; schools are encouraged to avoid the other six dyes	New Hampshire General Court, SB 577
LouisianaSB 14 (school provision)	2028-29 school year	Enacted	Prohibited ingredients in food served to students	Louisiana Legislature, SB 14

West Virginia
HB 2354 (school provisions)
In force
Date
In force since Aug 1, 2025
What it says
7 dyes in school nutrition programs
Source
West Virginia Legislature, HB 2354
Delaware
SB 69
In force
Date
In force since July 1, 2026
What it says
Red 40 only, in breakfast, lunch and competitive food on campus
Source
Delaware Legislature, SB 69
Utah
HB 402
In force
Date
In force, 2026-27 school year
What it says
7 dyes, potassium bromate and propylparaben in public schools
Source
Utah Legislature, HB 402
Arizona
HB 2164, Arizona Healthy Schools Act
In force
Date
In force, 2026-27 school year
What it says
11 additives, including dyes, defining “ultraprocessed food” in federally funded schools
Source
Arizona Legislature, HB 2164
Texas
SB 314
In force
Date
In force, 2026-27 school year
What it says
18 listed substances, including 7 dyes, in free and reduced-price school meals only
Source
Texas Legislature, SB 314
Virginia
SB 1289 and HB 1910
Enacted
Date
July 1, 2027
What it says
7 dyes in public school meals
Source
Virginia LIS, SB 1289
Nebraska
LB 940
Enacted
Date
On or after Aug 1, 2027
What it says
Dyes and additives in school food
Source
Nebraska Legislature, LB 940
Iowa
HF 2676
Enacted
Date
School years starting on or after July 1, 2027
What it says
6 dyes, potassium bromate and propylparaben in school meals and on-campus sales
Source
Iowa Legislature, HF 2676
Tennessee
SB 2423
Enacted
Date
2027-28 school year
What it says
Expands the 2025 Red 40 ban to all synthetic dyes
Source
Tennessee Legislature, SB 2423
California
AB 2316
Enacted
Date
Dec 31, 2027
What it says
6 dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3) in public schools
Source
California Legislature, AB 2316
Alaska
SB 187
Enacted
Date
Jan 1, 2028
What it says
7 dyes in school breakfast and lunch
Source
Alaska Legislature, SB 187
New Hampshire
SB 577
Enacted
Date
July 1, 2028
What it says
Only Red 3, Citrus Red 2 and Orange B in school meals; schools are encouraged to avoid the other six dyes
Source
New Hampshire General Court, SB 577
Louisiana
SB 14 (school provision)
Enacted
Date
2028-29 school year
What it says
Prohibited ingredients in food served to students
Source
Louisiana Legislature, SB 14

Bills to watch

Item	Date	Status	What it says	What it means for you	Source
New YorkS1239-F / A1556-G, Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure ActStatewide ban	Not yet law	Pending	Passed the Senate on March 23, 2026 and the Assembly on April 21, 2026. Not delivered to the Governor as of Sept 15, 2026. Would ban Red 3, potassium bromate and propylparaben and require GRAS safety disclosures.	Watch for the Governor's decision.	New York Senate, S1239
MichiganHB 5069Statewide ban	Not yet law	Pending	Passed the House on June 17, 2026 and was referred to the Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee on June 23. No Senate action as of Sept 15, 2026.	Watch only. It becomes a row on this page if enacted.	Regbase state and federal tracker (updated Oct 21, 2026)

New York
S1239-F / A1556-G, Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act
Statewide ban
Pending
Date
Not yet law
What it says
Passed the Senate on March 23, 2026 and the Assembly on April 21, 2026. Not delivered to the Governor as of Sept 15, 2026. Would ban Red 3, potassium bromate and propylparaben and require GRAS safety disclosures.
What it means for you
Watch for the Governor's decision.
Source
New York Senate, S1239
Michigan
HB 5069
Statewide ban
Pending
Date
Not yet law
What it says
Passed the House on June 17, 2026 and was referred to the Senate Regulatory Affairs Committee on June 23. No Senate action as of Sept 15, 2026.
What it means for you
Watch only. It becomes a row on this page if enacted.
Source
Regbase state and federal tracker (updated Oct 21, 2026)

InfoBrand rows come from FDA's industry pledge tracker (current as of October 16, 2026). Federal and state rows come from agency and legislative documents, cross-checked against Regbase's state tracker (updated October 21, 2026). This page summarizes public information and is not legal advice. Check the linked source before relying on any date.

InfoOTHER Natural Flavors is a service of Xponent21 Inc. We share public information and introductions. We do not give legal or regulatory advice and do not guarantee that any color or flavor will perform in your product. Confirm regulatory status with counsel and test every formulation. Sources and the date we last checked them are listed on each page.

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