NY could ban a common ingredient found in pizza
People are pretty specific about their pizza’s taste, texture, and crust thickness. If you live in New York, you may not be thrilled to learn that the State Assembly is looking at banning a chemical that helps the dough rise and get puffy.
Stripping out additives that may be linked to cancer
No one likes change when it comes to their favorite food, but the State Assembly is looking closely at a chemical that could cause health problems, including cancer.
On April 21, the Assembly passed its Food Safety and Chemical Disclosure Act. This act targets a range of food additives, including potassium bromate. This chemical is often used in flour to make it look white and rise higher.
Does that mean your pizza crust may taste and look different? Possibly.
Potassium bromate can cause a variety of health issues
So why is potassium bromate such a red flag? It can cause issues like kidney damage, behavioral issues in kids, cancer, hormone and reproductive harm, and more.
This chemical isn't just used in pizza, either. It's also found in bagels and other processed foods.
There was even more insight in a memo that accompanied the new bill.
“While the use of food additives to enhance the shelf life, taste, or texture of various commercial food products is nothing new, the science behind the health effects of increased consumption of such additives is shedding new light on just how dangerous some of them can be,” stated the memo.
“This legislation protects New Yorkers from three of the most pervasive and harmful food additives," continued the memo.
Rare bipartisan support
The bill was unanimously passed, garnering rare bipartisan support.
“Other countries have banned potassium bromate without any diminution in the quality of flour-based products and the same will happen in New York,” said State Sen. Cordell Cleare (D-Harlem), who was a co-sponsor on the bill.
It's all about making informed choices
The bill comes down to transparency. As a consumer, being aware of what’s in your food allows you to make better-informed decisions about what you eat.
Source: New York Post
