Arizona Bans From Schools 11 Ingredients as ‘Ultraprocessed Foods’
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs this month signed into law HB2164, the Arizona Healthy Schools Act. It will ban “ultra-processed foods containing harmful additives from being served in public school meals,” according to the bill’s author, State Rep. Leo Biasiucci. It will take effect during the 2026-2027 school year.
Its wording bans “ultraprocessed foods” in one breath, then defines them as containing 11 widely criticized (and banned in other states) ingredients: potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide, brominated vegetable oil, yellow dyes 5 and 6, blue dyes 1 and 2, red dyes 3 and 40 and green dye 3.
Brominated vegetable oil and Red 3 have been banned by the FDA.
The law prohibits any school that participates in a federally funded or assisted meal program from selling, serving or allowing a third party to sell ultraprocessed food on campus during the school day, but it apparently allows parents to send foods with those ingredients with their kids.
“We now have overwhelming evidence that these chemicals can contribute to everything from hyperactivity to increased cancer risk—yet they remain in school meals,” Biasiucci said. “We hope to end that today.” He said bill received unanimous support.
It follows bans in several other states that prohibit the same ingredients. And last week, the FDA and Dept. of Health & Human Services asked food & beverage processors to voluntarily remove the color additives listed above from all foods by the end of 2026.
