Amd §199-a, 199-b, 198 & 202-c, add §199-g, Ag & Mkts L; add §915-a, Ed L
Enacts the "food safety and chemical disclosure act"; prohibits certain food additives and food color additives; provides that in an action to enforce compliance, the recognition by the federal food and drug administration of any of these substances as safe may not be alleged as a defense; establishes requirements for the reporting of GRAS (generally recognized as safe) substances.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1556A
SPONSOR: Kelles TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law and the education law,
in relation to enacting the "food safety and chemical disclosure act"
PURPOSE:
To prohibit the use of certain harmful substances as food additives or
color additives in the manufacture and commercial distribution of food
products and require companies to disclose their secret "Generally
Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) food ingredients to the public.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Sec. 1- amends the agriculture and markets law section 199-a to add a
new subdivision 5 to prohibit the use of the food additives FD&C Red 3,
potassium bromate and propylparaben; provides an exemption for small
businesses for three years; provides that In any action by the commis-
sioner to enforce compliance, FDA recognition of a substance shall not
be a defense;
Sec. 2 - amends the education law by adding a new section 915-a to
prohibit the sale in school of foods containing synthetic color addi-
tives FD&C Red 3, Red 40, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Yellow 5 and Yellow
6; provides an exemption for sale of food away from school premises or
at least 1/2 hour after the end of the school day;
Sec. 3 - amends section 198 of the agriculture and markets law by adding
a new subdivision 7-a defining "generally recognized as safe substance"
or "GRAS substance" as any substance that is not included under the
definition of "food additive" because it is generally recognized, either
among experts qualified by scientific training or by experience as
having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its
intended use.
Sec. 4 - amends subdivision 4 of section 199-a of the agriculture and
markets law to clarify the section refers to the "food and color addi-
tives" report submitted to the commissioner
Sec. 5 - amends the agriculture and markets law by adding new section
199-g which makes it unlawful to sell or offer or expose to sale or make
any new use of any GRAS substance or combination of GRAS substances
unless a report has been submitted to the commissioner and is included
in a database; specifies what must be included in the report, including:
1) certain characteristics of the data and information being used as the
basis for the manufacturer's conclusion that the substance is GRAS, and
2) a statement about any information the manufacturer may be withholding
as exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Law; exempts
certain GRAS substances and exempts small businesses; provides that data
establishing GRAS shall be publicly available and cannot be based on
trade secrets.
Sec. 6 - amends section 199-b of the agriculture and markets law by
adding a new subdivision 5 to require the commissioner to make the
information set forth by new section 199-g available to the public in a
database available on its website; allows for redacting from public
reports information designated by the submitter as trade secrets;
requires the commissioner to update the database with any new informa-
tion related to the safety of GRAS substance and empowers them to refuse
to list a GRAS substance if the submitters report does not contain the
required information.
Sec. 7 - amends the second undesignated paragraph of section 202-c of
the agriculture and market law to include, under the commissioner's
existing enforcement powers, the new section 199-g and any rule or order
respecting a GRAS substance.
Sec. 8 - effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
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. This
legislation protects New Yorkers from three of the most pervasive and
harmful food additives by prohibiting the manufacture or sale of food
containing any of the following: Red dye 3 (linked to cancer and behav-
ioral problems in children), potassium bromate (linked to cancer) and
propylparabens (linked to hormone and reproductive system harm). This
bill is similar to the California Food Safety Act, enacted in 2023. The
European Union already prohibits the sale of food containing the
substances prohibited under this bill.
In addition to Red dye 3, this bill also bans the same 6 food color
additives already banned in California and New York City Schools. In
fact, New York City schools have banned synthetic dyes in school food
for decades, showing that protecting children from these dyes is feasi-
ble across our state. There is no reason why New York State's children
outside of New York City should still be exposed to these dangerous
chemicals.
At the same time, New Yorkers deserve to know what they are consuming.
Currently, under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, Generally
Recognized As Safe, or GRAS, allows for any substance that is inten-
tionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket
review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is "generally recog-
nized", among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be
safe under conditions of its use. Under this current definition, compa-
nies that don't have the consumer's best interests in mind are not
required to disclose to the FDA whether their product contains a chemi-
cal that is safe for consumption or not. These chemicals can pose seri-
ous health risks to the consumer.
This legislation allows New Yorkers to know what they are consuming and
make health conscious decisions as consumers by requiring that companies
who currently keep their GRAS confidential to report these ingredients
to the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Markets and
requires the Commissioner to make this information publicly available.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
see A6424 and A9295 of 2023-24
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 180th day after which it shall have
become law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1556--A
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. KELLES, COLTON, EPSTEIN, GIBBS, GLICK, JACKSON,
LEE, LEVENBERG, RAGA, REYES, ROSENTHAL, SAYEGH, SEAWRIGHT, SHIMSKY,
SIMON, STECK, STIRPE, TAPIA, CLARK, P. CARROLL, HEVESI, TORRES, CRUZ,
NORBER, DINOWITZ, KAY, LUNSFORD -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Agriculture -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law and the education law,
in relation to enacting the "food safety and chemical disclosure act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "food safety and chemical disclosure act".
3 § 2. The section heading of section 199-a of the agriculture and
4 markets law, as amended by chapter 797 of the laws of 1961, is amended
5 and a new subdivision 5 is added to read as follows:
6 Prohibition as to adulterated or misbranded food and certain food
7 additives and food color additives intended for human consumption.
8 5. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
9 commencing one year after the effective date of this subdivision, it
10 shall be unlawful for any person, firm, association, or corporation to
11 manufacture, compound, brew, distill, produce, process, sell, deliver,
12 distribute, hold, offer or expose for sale any of the following
13 substances as food additives or food color additives or any food or food
14 product containing any of the following substances intended for human
15 consumption:
16 (i) FD&C Red No. 3;
17 (ii) Potassium bromate; or
18 (iii) Propylparaben.
19 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subdivi-
20 sion, a store shall be permitted to sell, deliver, distribute, hold,
21 offer or expose for sale any food or food product containing any of the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01051-04-5
A. 1556--A 2
1 substances listed in paragraph (a) of this subdivision until the expira-
2 tion date, "best by" date, or "sell by" date printed on the packaging of
3 the food or food product by the manufacturer or producer, but no later
4 than three years after the effective date of this subdivision, provided,
5 however, that:
6 (i) the store sells food or food products at retail and is not prima-
7 rily engaged in the sale of food for consumption on the premises;
8 (ii) the store is independently owned and operated by a business that
9 employs ten or fewer persons; and
10 (iii) the food or food product was acquired by the business.
11 (c) Within thirty days of the effective date of this subdivision, the
12 commissioner shall amend the exemption list maintained pursuant to
13 subdivision three of this section to indicate that in this state the
14 substances prohibited in this subdivision shall not be deemed to be safe
15 for human consumption on or after one year after the effective date of
16 this subdivision.
17 § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new section 915-a to
18 read as follows:
19 § 915-a. Prohibiting the sale of foods containing synthetic color
20 additives. 1. No foods or beverages, including competitive foods as
21 defined under 7 CFR 210.11(a)(2) and meals reimbursed under programs
22 authorized by the federal Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
23 (Public Law 113-79) and the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42
24 U.S.C. Sec. 1771 et seq.), containing any of the following substances
25 shall be sold in any public school within the state:
26 a. FD&C Red No. 3
27 b. FD&C Red No. 40
28 c. FD&C Blue No. 1
29 d. FD&C Blue No. 2
30 e. FD&C Green No. 3
31 f. FD&C Yellow No. 5
32 g. FD&C Yellow No. 6
33 2. A school may permit the sale of foods and beverages that do not
34 comply with subdivision one of this section if the sale of such items
35 takes place either:
36 a. off and away from the premises of the school; or
37 b. on school premises at least one-half hour after the end of the
38 school day.
39 § 4. Section 198 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by
40 adding a new subdivision 7-a to read as follows:
41 7-a. For purposes of this section, the term "generally recognized as
42 safe substance" or "GRAS substance" means any substance added to food
43 that is not exempted from the definition of "food additive" under subdi-
44 vision seven of this section because it is generally recognized, among
45 experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate its
46 safety, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions
47 of its intended use:
48 (a) either through scientific procedures using the same quantity and
49 quality of scientific evidence as is required to obtain approval of the
50 substance as a food additive; or
51 (b) for a substance used in food prior to January first, nineteen
52 hundred fifty-eight, through experience based on common use in food.
53 § 5. Subdivision 4 of section 199-a of the agriculture and markets
54 law, as amended by chapter 671 of the laws of 1966, is amended to read
55 as follows:
A. 1556--A 3
1 4. All data submitted to the commissioner in support of the food or
2 color additives report under this section shall be considered confiden-
3 tial by the commissioner and shall not be revealed to any person other
4 than to a person authorized by the commissioner in the performance of
5 [his] their official duties under this article. In case of an actual
6 controversy as to the validity of an order or decision of the commis-
7 sioner respecting the test data or report in which a proceeding to
8 review has been instituted as authorized by section two hundred two-c of
9 this article the petition, data and report shall be transmitted by the
10 commissioner to the clerk of the court in which the review proceeding is
11 instituted, together with a record of the proceedings on which the
12 commissioner based [his] the order or decision, and such transmittal
13 shall not be construed to be a violation of confidence. Subdivisions
14 two and three of this section shall not apply to food additives or color
15 additives which are safe within the meaning of the federal food, drug
16 and cosmetic act as amended.
17 § 6. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
18 section 199-g to read as follows:
19 § 199-g. Reporting of GRAS substances. 1. a. Except as provided in
20 subdivision two of this section, unless a report described in paragraph
21 b of this subdivision has been submitted to the commissioner and such
22 report is made available in the database described in subdivision five
23 of section one hundred ninety-nine-b of this article, and notwithstand-
24 ing any other provision of law to the contrary, it shall be unlawful for
25 any person, firm, association, or corporation to:
26 (i) sell or offer or expose for sale for use in or on food, or to use
27 in the manufacturing, compounding, brewing, distilling, producing, or
28 processing of any food or food product, any GRAS substance or combina-
29 tion of GRAS substances;
30 (ii) make any new use of any GRAS substance or combination of GRAS
31 substances in or on food; or
32 (iii) sell or offer or expose for sale any food or food product
33 containing any GRAS substance or combination of GRAS substances.
34 b. The report required pursuant to paragraph a of this subdivision
35 shall include but not be limited to the following information:
36 (i) Signed statements and a certification, including:
37 (1) the date and signature of a responsible official of the reporter
38 or reporting organization;
39 (2) the name and address of the reporter or reporting organization;
40 (3) the name of any GRAS substances discussed in the report, using an
41 appropriately descriptive term;
42 (4) intended conditions for the use of any GRAS substance discussed in
43 the report, including the foods in which the substance will be used, the
44 levels of such use in such foods, and the purposes for which the
45 substance will be used, including, when appropriate, a description of
46 any subpopulation expected to consume such GRAS substance or substances;
47 (5) the statutory basis for the conclusion of GRAS status;
48 (6) a statement that the reported substance is not subject to the
49 premarket approval requirements of the federal food, drug, and cosmetic
50 act based on the conclusion that the notified substance is GRAS under
51 the conditions of its intended use;
52 (7) a statement that, if asked to see the data and information that
53 are the basis for the GRAS conclusion, the reporter will agree to:
54 (A) make the data and information available to the commissioner; and
55 (B) upon the commissioner's request, both of the following procedures
56 for making the data and information available to the commissioner:
A. 1556--A 4
1 (I) allow the commissioner to review and copy the data and information
2 during customary business hours at the address specified for where these
3 data and information will be available; and
4 (II) provide a complete copy of the data and information either in an
5 electronic format or on paper;
6 (8) views as to whether any of the data and information in the GRAS
7 report are exempt from disclosure under the freedom of information law;
8 (9) certifications that, to the best of the reporter's knowledge, the
9 GRAS report is a complete, representative, and balanced submission that
10 includes both unfavorable and favorable information known to the repor-
11 ter and pertinent to the evaluation of the safety and GRAS status of the
12 use of the substance; and
13 (10) the name and position or title of the person who signs the GRAS
14 report.
15 (ii) The identity, method of manufacture, specifications, and physical
16 or technical effect of the notified substance, including:
17 (1) scientific data and information that identifies the GRAS
18 substance, including:
19 (A) examples of appropriate data and information including the chemi-
20 cal name, applicable registry numbers (such as a chemical abstracts
21 service (CAS) registry number or an enzyme commission (EC) number),
22 empirical formula, structural formula, quantitative composition, and
23 characteristic properties; and
24 (B) when the source of a notified substance is a biological material,
25 data and information sufficient to identify:
26 (I) the taxonomic source (e.g., genus, species) of the GRAS substance,
27 including, as applicable, data and information at the sub-species level
28 (e.g., variety, strain);
29 (II) the part of any plant or animal used as the source of the GRAS
30 substance; and
31 (III) any known toxicants that could be in the source of the GRAS
32 substance;
33 (2) a description of the method of manufacture of the GRAS substance
34 in sufficient detail to evaluate the safety of the notified substance as
35 manufactured;
36 (3) specifications for food-grade material; and
37 (4) when necessary to demonstrate safety, relevant data and informa-
38 tion bearing on the physical or other technical effect the GRAS
39 substance is intended to produce, including the quantity of the GRAS
40 substance required to produce such effect.
41 (iii) Dietary exposure to the notified substance, including informa-
42 tion about dietary exposure (i.e., the amount of relevant substances
43 that consumers are likely to eat or drink as part of a total diet),
44 including:
45 (1) an estimate of dietary exposure to the notified substance that
46 includes exposure from its intended use and all sources in the diet;
47 (2) when applicable, an estimate of dietary exposure to any other
48 substance that is expected to be formed in or on food because of the use
49 of the notified substance (e.g., hydrolytic products or reaction
50 products);
51 (3) when applicable, an estimate of dietary exposure to any other
52 substance that is present with the notified substance either naturally
53 or due to its manufacture (e.g., contaminants or by-products);
54 (4) sources of any food consumption data used to estimate dietary
55 exposure, in accordance with clauses one through three of this subpara-
56 graph; and
A. 1556--A 5
1 (5) any assumptions made to estimate dietary exposure, in accordance
2 with clauses one through three of this subparagraph.
3 (iv) Self-limiting levels of use in circumstances where the amount of
4 the notified substance that can be added to human food or animal food is
5 limited because the food containing levels of the notified substance
6 above a particular level would become unpalatable or technologically
7 impractical.
8 (v) If the statutory basis for GRAS status is through experience based
9 on common use in food, evidence of a substantial history of consumption
10 of the notified substance for food use by a significant number of
11 consumers prior to January first, nineteen hundred fifty-eight.
12 (vi) A narrative that provides the basis for the conclusion of GRAS
13 status, including:
14 (1) an explanation for why the data and information in the report
15 provide a basis for that the notified substance is safe under the condi-
16 tions of its intended use. Such explanation shall address the safety of
17 the notified substance, considering all dietary sources and taking into
18 account any chemically or pharmacologically related substances in such
19 diet, and identify what specific data and information discussed in
20 accordance with this clause are generally available and not generally
21 available, by providing citations to the list of data and information
22 required in subparagraph (vii) of this paragraph;
23 (2) an explanation of how the generally available data and information
24 relied on to establish safety in accordance with clause one of this
25 subparagraph provides a basis for the conclusion that the reported
26 substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, to be safe
27 under the conditions of its intended use;
28 (3) either:
29 (A) data and information that are, or may appear to be, inconsistent
30 with the conclusion of GRAS status; or
31 (B) a statement that the available data and information was reviewed
32 and the reporter is not aware of any data and information that are, or
33 may appear to be, inconsistent with the conclusion of GRAS status;
34 (4) if any data and information in the report is exempt from disclo-
35 sure under the freedom of information law, a statement that identifies
36 such data and information; and
37 (5) for non-public, safety-related data and information considered in
38 reaching a conclusion of GRAS status, an explanation of how there could
39 be a basis for a conclusion of GRAS status if qualified experts do not
40 have access to such data and information.
41 (vii) A list of the generally available data, information, and methods
42 the notifier cites in the GRAS notice, including:
43 (1) a list of all of the data and information required by subparagraph
44 (vi) of this paragraph to provide a basis for determining that the noti-
45 fied substance is safe under the conditions of its intended use, as
46 described in accordance with clause one of subparagraph (vi) of this
47 paragraph; and
48 (2) identification of specific data and information listed in accord-
49 ance with clause one of this subparagraph that are generally available
50 and not generally available.
51 (viii) Any previous GRAS substance notices submitted to the federal
52 food and drug administration on the reported substance and the federal
53 food and drug administration's responses.
54 (ix) All relevant currently available safety information.
55 2. The following substances are exempt from the reporting requirements
56 of subdivision one of this section:
A. 1556--A 6
1 a. Any GRAS substance for which the federal food and drug adminis-
2 tration has received a GRAS notice and issued a letter stating that the
3 federal food and drug administration has no questions regarding the
4 conclusion that the substance is generally recognized as safe under its
5 intended conditions of use;
6 b. Any substances recognized in federal regulations as prior sanc-
7 tioned or GRAS substances for use in food or food packaging;
8 c. Any food contact substance for which there is an effective premar-
9 ket notification demonstrating safety for its intended use;
10 d. Any substances subject to regulation approving its intended use for
11 food;
12 e. A food ingredient of natural biological origin that has been widely
13 consumed for its nutrient properties in the United States prior to Janu-
14 ary first, nineteen hundred fifty-eight without known detrimental
15 effects, which is subject only to conventional processing as practiced
16 prior to January first, nineteen hundred fifty-eight, and for which no
17 known safety hazard exists;
18 f. Any substance for which the federal food and drug administration
19 has received a new dietary ingredient notification and issued a letter
20 of acknowledgement without objection that the substance is safe under
21 its notification's intended conditions of use; and
22 g. Any substance determined safe to be added to foods by the commis-
23 sioner through rulemaking.
24 3. Any person may file a report to the commissioner under this
25 section.
26 4. A small business, defined as a business that is independently owned
27 and operated and employs ten or fewer persons, shall be exempt from the
28 requirements of this section.
29 5. Data establishing the general recognition of safety shall be based
30 on publicly available information and shall not be based on trade
31 secrets.
32 § 7. Section 199-b of the agriculture and markets law is amended by
33 adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
34 5. The commissioner:
35 a. shall make reports submitted pursuant to section one hundred nine-
36 ty-nine-g of this article available to the public in a database on its
37 website. The database shall:
38 (i) be searchable by members of the public;
39 (ii) enable consumers to download and print displayed information; and
40 (iii) accommodate reasonably anticipated and actual public use.
41 b. shall redact from the public report any information that has been
42 designated by the submitter as a trade secret, provided, however, that
43 data establishing the general recognition of safety shall not be redact-
44 ed;
45 c. shall update the database with any new information that the commis-
46 sioner receives relating to the safety of the GRAS substance;
47 d. may refuse to list a GRAS substance if the commissioner determines
48 the report does not contain the information required by section one
49 hundred ninety-nine-g of this article;
50 e. shall provide an interim progress report concerning efforts to
51 develop and implement the database system required by this subdivision,
52 which shall include:
53 (i) a projected completion date;
54 (ii) a description of obstacles to development and implementation of
55 the database system; and
A. 1556--A 7
1 (iii) an estimate of the costs to complete the implementation of the
2 database system; and
3 f. may charge a fee to the reporter of a GRAS substance in order to
4 recover the costs incurred in listing such GRAS substance and maintain-
5 ing the database.
6 § 8. The second undesignated paragraph of section 202-c of the agri-
7 culture and markets law, as amended by chapter 671 of the laws of 1966,
8 is amended to read as follows:
9 The commissioner may institute such action at law or in equity as may
10 appear necessary to enforce compliance with sections one hundred nine-
11 ty-nine-a, one hundred ninety-nine-g, two hundred and two hundred one of
12 this article, and any rule or order respecting a GRAS substance, food
13 additive, or color additive promulgated pursuant to sections one hundred
14 ninety-nine-b and two hundred fourteen-b of this article and, in addi-
15 tion to any other remedy under this chapter or otherwise, may apply for
16 relief by injunction to protect the public interest without being
17 compelled to allege or prove that an adequate remedy at law does not
18 exist. In an action instituted by the commissioner to enforce compliance
19 with said sections one hundred ninety-nine-a, two hundred and two
20 hundred one the commissioner shall not be required to prove that the
21 food, food additive or color additive mentioned in the complaint is
22 unsafe and the claim or defense of the defendant as to its safety shall
23 be immaterial, provided, however, that the recognition by the federal
24 food and drug administration of a food additive or color additive as
25 safe may be alleged as a proper defense.
26 § 9. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
27 it shall have become a law.
