Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Senate committee considers bill to restrict Red Dye 40 in school meals and competitive foods
Summary
Senate Bill 69 would ban Red Dye 40 from school breakfasts, lunches and school-managed vending during school hours; the Department of Education and several medical and advocacy groups expressed support while industry groups and food-safety coalitions opposed the measure, citing existing federal regulatory reviews and implementation burdens.
The Delaware Senate Education Committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 69, which would prohibit the use of the color additive commonly known as Red Dye 40 in school breakfasts, lunches and vending machines managed by school nutrition programs during the official school day.
Senator Eric Buxton, the bill’s sponsor in the Senate, told the committee the measure was drafted to apply narrowly to food served under government-run school programs: it "only applies to school breakfast, lunch and vending machines managed by the school nutrition program during the school day," he said, adding that the bill is not intended to regulate items brought by parents for classroom celebrations or after-school events.
Supporters who testified said reducing children’s exposure to…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
