In a significant public health victory, California has passed a new law banning six artificial food dyes from public schools. Assembly Bill 2316, set to take effect on Dec. 31, 2027, will protect children from dyes linked to hyperactivity and other health concerns. With the help of the WISEcode app, parents and educators can easily uncover these harmful chemicals lurking in everyday food products.

The Banned Dyes: What to Know

Assembly Bill 2316 takes direct aim at the dyes Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. These unnaturally bright  colorants are responsible for making processed foods pop, but at what cost? Here’s where they often hide:[1]:

• Red 40 (Allura Red) – Drinks, breakfast cereals, baked goods, flavored yogurts, chips, gelatin, dessert powders, candy, other foods, and even cosmetics and medicines.

• Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) – Soft drinks, pickles, snacks and plenty of other processed junk.

• Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue) –From baked goods to beverages and mouthwash, it’s everywhere.

• Blue No. 2 (Indigo Carmine) – Cereals, sugary drinks, ice cream and candy. 

• Green 3 (Triphenylmethane) – Canned peas, other processed vegetables, fish, beverages, pudding, dessert powders, ice cream, sherbets, sorbet, Candies, other foods, medicines and even personal care products.

  Popular Offenders Containing This Dye (not all-inclusive)

• Candy: Skittles, M&M’s, Fruit Roll-Ups, Pop Rocks, Sour Patch Kids, Nerds, and Jolly Ranchers

• Chips: Doritos (various flavors), Cheetos, Lays (some flavors), Funyuns, Ruffles (certain flavors)

• Cereal: Trix, Fruity Pebbles, Cap’n Crunch (various types), Froot Loops, Lucky Charms

• Beverages: Kool-Aid, Gatorade (various flavors), Powerade, Hawaiian Punch

 How WISEcode Helps You Spot the Dangers 

With these new bans, WISEcode becomes your go-to tool for spotting these dyes before they end up on your plate. The app’s ingredient scanning makes it simple to scan food barcodes and reveal hidden dangers.  

1. Ingredient Scanning: Scan barcodes and instantly uncover harmful additives, including the newly banned dyes.

2. Educational Insights: Learn about the health risks associated with certain additives, giving you the power to make informed choices. 

 The Fight For Food Transparency is Here

California is putting kids’ health first by banning  these dangerous dyes in schools. As this law pushes forward, knowing exactly what’s in our food is no longer optional - it’s a must. WISEcode equips parents and educators to quickly spot any harmful ingredients in snacks and meals, helping them steer clear of potentially risky foods. 

This law marks a huge win for kids' health - but it’s only the beginning, WISEcode is shining a light on the additives that sneak into our foods, helping families make better, more informed decisions. Together, we can expose what’s really in our food and hold brands accountable.

[1] Kansas State University. (n.d.). Identifying foods that contain synthetic food dyes. https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/humannutrition/nutrition-topics/eatingwell-budget/meals-documents/IdentifyingFoodsThatContainSyntheticFoodDyes.pdf