Are Skittles Banned? Behind California’s Ban of 4 Ingredients - GoodRx (2024)

In 2023, the beloved childhood candy Skittles was under fire in California due to concerns about one of its ingredients: titanium dioxide. Early in the year, the state intended to ban this food dye, as well as four other food additives:

• Red dye No. 3

• Potassium bromate

• Propylparaben

• Brominated vegetable oil

In October 2023, the state banned these four additives, but not titanium dioxide. While that allowed for sales of Skittles to continue, many other classic packaged candies and foods are at risk of losing their spot on grocery store shelves across the U.S. Here’s why.

Did California ban Skittles?

No, rather than banning Skittles or specific food items, California bill AB-148, or the California Food Safety Act, forbids the use of certain ingredients that have been linked to health problems. The California bill was passed into law in 2023 and will go into effect in 2027.

In an interview with Time magazine in early 2023, California assembly member Jesse Gabriel said that AB-418’s aim is to inspire food brands to use safer ingredients.

The banned ingredients are commonly used in products consumed by children, including Betty Crocker icings, Chips Ahoy! cookies, and some flavors of Trident sugar-free gum.

“I feel like the ban is an appropriate proactive measure,” Sara Chatfield, RDN, a nutrition specialist at HealthCanal, told GoodRx Health. “We may not have all the facts about the quantity of these additives someone needs to ingest to cause harm. But I think there's enough evidence to warrant taking them out of foods.”

Are Skittles banned in other countries?

While it’s not quite a ban on Skittles, only a version of the candy made without titanium dioxide can be sold in the European Union (EU) .

The EU banned titanium dioxide as a food additive in early 2022 due to concerns about its possible cancer-causing effects. But in November 2022, the Court of Justice of the European Union overturned the decision to label titanium dioxide a carcinogen. The court stated that the evidence was not strong enough to issue this label. But titanium dioxide still remains banned as a food additive in the EU.

Titanium dioxide is also banned in several Persian Gulf countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.

Do Skittles cause cancer?

We don’t know if the additives in Skittles and other processed items actually cause cancer, according to experts like Naomi Jean-Baptiste, MD. “Consuming these substances in small amounts has not been shown in studies to increase the risk of cancer,” Jean-Baptiste told GoodRx Health, referring to titanium dioxide and the four additives banned in California.

But eating too many ultra-processed foods that contain these ingredients could put you at a higher risk of developing cancer down the line.

In fact, a 2023 review of studies suggests that every 10% increase in how much ultra-processed foods a person eats is linked to a higher risk of cancer. In other words, as your intake of heavily processed foods goes up, so does your risk of developing cancer.

Why are some food additives like titanium dioxide and red dye No. 3 considered harmful?

Here’s a closer look at some of the potential risks of the five food additives we’ve been discussing. Though, keep in mind that these conclusions are drawn from animal and lab studies. Since there have not been human studies in this area, the effects that each additive may have on human health are not yet clear.

1. Titanium dioxide

Titanium dioxide is a chemical that makes things appear whiter or more vibrant. Apart from its use as a food additive, it is also a widely used ingredient in cosmetics, paint and paper, and even medications.

Concerns around titanium dioxide stem from animal studies that have linked the chemical to cancer. Rats in these studies developed lung tumors after inhaling high amounts of the chemical.

“They also found that the chemical was linked to the potential of damaging DNA and possibly carcinogenic,” Kimberly Gomer, RD, LDN, told GoodRx of the studies.

As mentioned, there have not been studies on titanium dioxide involving humans. And the effects of consuming the additive through food are unclear, given the current research. However, these studies have still raised concerns among experts.

“The FDA does limit the use of titanium dioxide in food to 1% of the food’s weight. But completely banning and eliminating it may be the right thing to do,” Gomer said.

Food industry groups, like the National Confectioners Association, have opposed banning titanium dioxide. That opposition led California to leave the chemical out of bill AB-418. Though, a petition from the Environmental Defense Fund and other health groups against titanium dioxide’s use in food is currently under review by the FDA.

2. Red dye No. 3

The FDA is also reviewing a petition that calls for the removal of red dye No. 3 from the U.S. food supply.

In 1990, the FDA banned the use of red dye No. 3 in cosmetics. The agency made this move after it discovered the ingredient caused cancer in laboratory rats when ingested at very high levels. But red dye No. 3 is still allowed in food products in nearly every U.S. state, and it can currently be found in more than 3,000 items, according to the EWG’s database. So far, only California has banned the use of red dye No. 3 in food.

Both Chatfield and Gomer explain that research about the consumption of artificial food colorings shows a link between these dyes and increased hyperactivity and behavioral issues in children.

However, to say that red dye No. 3 is a main cause of behavioral issues in kids may not be true. More research is needed on the ingredient to determine whether or not it has a significant impact on children.

3. Potassium bromate

According to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit focused on improving people's health, nearly 200 food products currently contain potassium bromate. This food additive is commonly found in bread products and helps dough rise higher.

“Potassium bromate has been identified as a possible carcinogen by several health agencies and organizations,” Chatfield said, referring to organizations such as the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Environmental Protection Agency.

She added that potassium bromate has also been “linked with liver, kidney, and neurological toxicity in animal studies.” But more research is needed to understand how consuming the chemical through food affects human health.

4. Propylparaben

Propylparaben is often found in baked goods, including some brands of corn and flour tortillas. The additive is also used as a preservative in cosmetics. But there is a concern about propylparaben possibly causing cancer in humans.

One study reported that the DNA of human breast skin cells was damaged after exposure to the chemical. It’s important to note, however, that this study was conducted in a lab rather than on real people.

While researchers have shown that propylparaben can have toxic effects through animal and lab studies, evidence of it being toxic to humans has not been established.

5. Brominated vegetable oil

Brominated vegetable oil, also known as BVO, is used in some citrus-flavored beverages to “help keep the citrus flavoring from floating to the top,” per the FDA. The EU and Japan long ago banned BVO out of concern for its possible effects on human health. And, in November 2023, the FDA proposed banning the additive’s use in the U.S., concluding that it is not safe for human consumption. This announcement came shortly after California’s ban on the chemical.

Some reports also suggest that bromine (a key part of BVO) may cause memory loss, nerve disorders, and even skin lesions in rats. Older research suggests a link between BVO consumption and fertility problems in rats.

Should you be concerned if you’ve eaten Skittles or other foods with similar ingredients?

Based on the available research, it’s not clear if additives found in Skittles and other foods are safe or unsafe. But the evidence does show that ultra-processed foods are not good for your health.

“People's overall health would likely improve if they were not allowed to consume highly processed foods and sweets,” Jean-Baptiste said.

It’s not always so easy to avoid ultra-processed foods, though. These products are made from commodity crops that are subsidized by the government. (Corn and soybeans, for instance, are used to make cheap sugars and oils found in heavily processed foods like Skittles.) And, because they are cheaper, they may be the only option for people with lower incomes. Research suggests people with higher levels of food insecurity are much more likely to eat ultra-processed foods.

If you are concerned about the ingredients in Skittles and other processed items, Jean-Baptiste recommends carefully reading food labels. “Choose products that do not contain synthetic coloring if you are concerned about their impact on your well-being,” she said.

The Environmental Working Group has also compiled a spreadsheet of grocery items containing titanium dioxide or one or more of the four additives banned by California.