State Rep. Jamie Thompson is championing a House plan that will protect Michigan children from dangerous dyes and additives in food products.

Thompson today voted to advance House Bills 4369, which prohibits schools from providing or selling foods with certain ingredients to students, specifically Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1 and 2, Yellow 6, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate and propylparaben.

“Simply put, some of this crap should not be in food for our kids when we have seen evidence that it plays a role in debilitating conditions that make it harder to focus, learn and develop,” said Thompson, of Brownstown. “This is a public health disaster in motion. As a mother and legal guardian to three of my four grandchildren, I have long had concerns about what these additives are doing for brain health and impulse control. Every parent wants to know that their kids are safe and healthy when they are at school, and nutrition is a major part of that.

“Through this plan, we can position Michigan as a leader in facing this problem, work in tandem with ongoing federal efforts, and set our kids up for healthier futures.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees nutrition standards for the school lunch program. Unfortunately, these standards have fallen short with adequately protecting the health of America’s youth. Numerous chemical ingredients, including ones prohibited in other countries, are allowed in school lunches despite scientific evidence showing such ingredients harm children’s health, with studies showing side effects such as hyperactivity, cancer, hypersensitivity, inattentiveness and aggression.

Federally funded research through the National Institute of Health (NIH) shows Red 40 causes DNA damage, and a larger survey of synthetic food dyes found that consumption of such dyes may lead to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in both children and adults.

In April, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration announced a series of new measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply and transition to natural alternatives by the end of next year.

Thompson serves as Vice Chair on the House Health Policy Committee. HB 4369 now moves to the Senate for consideration.