Rep. Sara Jacobs and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Introduce the Bipartisan No Tricks on Treats Act
On Halloween, Rep. Sara Jacobs and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced the bipartisan No Tricks on Treats Act, which would require the proper labeling of foods, including kids’ candy, cereal, and snacks, that contain dyes, flavoring, and sweeteners.
Many parents assume that kids’ food is safe, especially when it’s branded as “healthy.” But many foods contain additives that research has found can affect kids’ behavior, hormones, and long-term health. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to eliminate dyes from the U.S. food supply by the end of 2026, they currently remain on the market. States led by Democratic and Republican governors, California and West Virginia, have already enacted significant legislation to restrict artificial food dyes.
Rep. Sara Jacobs said: “It shouldn’t take a PhD to read the ingredient list or a magnifying glass to see the fine print for parents to know what’s actually in their kids’ candy, cereals, and snacks. But that’s the reality for so many parents when they walk down the grocery store aisle. I introduced the No Tricks on Treats Act so parents can clearly see and understand the additives in their kids’ food and make informed choices for their health, safety, and well-being. I’m not the parent police; parents can make the best choices for their children, but they need accurate information to do so.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said: “Every family deserves honesty about what they’re feeding their children. Big Food has an obligation to provide transparency in labeling, and with this bill, they will finally be held accountable for including toxic dyes without proper disclosure. This legislation restores a basic respect for parents and consumers who have a right to know what is on their table.”
“People can live their healthiest lives when they understand what’s in the products they eat or drink before they buy them. The No Tricks on Treats Act improves food transparency and complements the current FDA front-of-package nutrition labeling initiative underway. Requiring companies to disclose flavors, synthetic dyes, non-nutritive sweeteners, and high levels of added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat will help ensure that our food is healthy and safe,” said Eva Greenthal, Senior Policy Scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The No Tricks on Treats Act would:
- Amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act to include foods containing synthetic dyes or any nonnutritive sweeteners as misbranded if not prominently stated on the principal display panel of the food packaging
- Empower the FDA to enforce the Act, including by using warning and untitled letters, import alerts, recalls, debarments, civil money penalties, injunctions, and seizures.
The following organizations have endorsed the No Tricks on Treats Act: Advocates for Better Children's Diets, Association of State Public Health Nutritionists, B.Komplete, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Consumer Federation of America, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Healthy Babies Bright Futures, Healthy Food America, Interfaith Public Health Network, National Association of School Nurses, National Consumers League, Public Health Advocacy Institute, Socially Responsible Investment Coalition, and The Center for Black Health & Equity.
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