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House approves ban on certain synthetic red food dyes in school lunches
Summary
Legislation removing red dye 40 from the school nutrition program passed the House on third reading after bipartisan floor debate and personal testimony from members whose families report behavioral links to dyes.
The Tennessee House passed House Bill 134 on third and final consideration, instructing school nutrition programs to stop serving foods that contain the synthetic color commonly labeled as red dye 40.
Representative Davis, the bill sponsor, said the measure follows recent federal and international actions and public-health concerns. Davis noted that the FDA banned red dye 3 for food and ingested drugs earlier in 2025 and said the dye class commonly called red dye 40 (also marketed as Allura Red in other jurisdictions) has been linked in some studies to activity and attention concerns in children.
Members from both parties spoke in favor. Representative Lynn described having used an elimination diet for a child diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and said avoiding artificial colors helped; Representative Hardaway praised the bill’s bipartisan support and asked whether the ban would apply to off-campus concessions or vending, which the sponsor said it would not — the bill applies only to the school nutrition program.
Sponsor-reported data in the debate included a 2024 TennCare count of pediatric ADHD drug recipients and an estimated state Medicaid cost figure cited by the sponsor. The sponsor framed the bill as a public-health step lawmakers can take within school meal procurement to reduce contributors to behavioral issues.
The clerk recorded the final vote as 88 ayes and 5 nays; the bill passed.
