Southwest Allegheny News

State Representative Natalie Mihalek, alongside a bipartisan group of 15 colleagues, has introduced a legislative package aimed at enhancing food safety in Pennsylvania. The proposed measures seek to increase transparency, eliminate certain chemicals from foods, and improve overall food quality within the state.

Mihalek highlighted the urgency of the issue: “Food safety is a pressing subject, both in Washington, D.C., and in state legislatures throughout the U.S., and for good reason. They say, ‘you are what you eat,’ but we often don’t even know what we are consuming.” She criticized longstanding legal loopholes that allow food companies to introduce numerous chemicals into diets with minimal oversight.

The primary bill addresses the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) provision. This loophole permits companies to incorporate new chemicals into food without needing FDA approval or independent review. If enacted by 2026, companies involved in manufacturing or selling food products in Pennsylvania will be required to disclose any GRAS substances used and confirm their safety.

Other components of the legislation include banning specific artificial dyes like Red 40 and Yellow 5 from being sold in public schools across Pennsylvania. The package also proposes defining ultra-processed foods legally within agricultural laws and mandates additional warning labels on products containing Butylated Hydroxyanisole or artificial dyes linked to potential behavioral effects on children.

Additionally, the bills propose prohibiting Paraquat, a pesticide associated with serious health risks such as Parkinson’s disease and childhood leukemia. There is also an initiative to encourage local farmers to plant cover crops for better soil health while reducing pesticide use. Furthermore, August would be declared Wellness Month under this legislative plan.

Mihalek emphasized the widespread impact of these initiatives: “Food health and quality affects every single one of us and the popularity of this subject is demonstrated by the list of bipartisan House members who are championing it.” She views this as an opportunity to enhance public health standards across Pennsylvania.

The legislative effort includes sponsorship from Reps. Melissa L. Shusterman, David H. Rowe, Stephenie Scialabba, Jennifer O'Mara, Abby Major, Justin C. Fleming, Joe Hogan, Ryan Warner, Joshua D. Kail, Shelby Labs, Robert Leadbeter, Barbara Gleim, Lisa A. Borowski, Jessica Benham, and Carl Walker Metzgar.

These proposals have been shared with other House members for further consideration.