Iowa Lawmakers Debate Groundbreaking Bill to Ban Margarine and Food Dyes in Schools: What It Means for Your Child’s Health

Iowa legislators are considering a bill aimed at banning margarine and certain food dyes in schools. This proposal is similar to a law that passed in California last year.

The bill, known as House Study Bill 5, was discussed in an education subcommittee recently. The committee decided to make changes to the bill to align it more closely with California’s School Food Safety Act, which originally includes banning margarine and the dyes Red Dye 40 and Yellow Dye 7.

Rep. Jeff Shipley, R-Fairfield and the chair of the subcommittee, previously proposed a similar ban in 2023. Although his earlier attempt passed its subcommittee, it failed to go further.

Rep. Heather Matson, D-Ankeny, raised concerns about banning margarine. She emphasized research indicating that margarine can be just as healthy as butter. “If we consider corn oil and soybean oil unhealthy, we should discuss that too,” she pointed out. Matson expressed openness to discussing restrictions on food colorings after reviewing the evidence behind California’s law. She also questioned why the Iowa bill targeted only Red Dye 40 and Yellow Dye 7, noting that Yellow Dye 7 isn’t commonly used in food or drinks.

California’s law outlaws a broader range of dyes, including Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. It also restricts fat, sugar, and saturated fats in school meals, but these aspects weren’t discussed by Iowa representatives.

Matson stressed the importance of thorough research, mentioning a study that linked synthetic food dyes to hyperactivity in children, a finding shared by California’s environmental health officials. She stated her reluctance to support the current bill but expressed interest in a more well-thought-out version.

Meanwhile, Rep. Brooke Boden, R-Indianola, strongly supported removing synthetic dyes. She shared a personal story about her child: “A neurologist suggested we eliminate food dye, and it made a significant difference.” She noted that there has also been federal movement, such as the recent FDA ban on Red Dye No. 3.

Several representatives from Iowa education groups remained undecided on the bill. They expressed support for the idea but requested more information about its implementation and possible costs for schools.

In response to the discussions, Rep. Shipley suggested amending the bill to mirror California’s law more closely while keeping margarine on the list for now. He emphasized the need for open discussions to reflect what Iowa residents want.

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