Texas Requires Warning Labels on Foods with Banned Additives

From red dyes to emulsifiers, food additives are facing growing scrutiny in the U.S. And now, Texas is taking action with mandatory food warning labels for foods that contain 44 additives banned abroad.

Signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 22, 2025, the new legislation requires certain packaged foods to display clear front-of-pack warnings if they contain ingredients banned in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom (FoodBev). The move is part of a broader initiative by Texas lawmakers to align state nutrition policy with international safety standards and it’s expected to have major ripple effects across the food industry.

What the Texas Law Requires

The new law applies to food and beverage products that contain certain synthetic colors, bleached flour, preservatives, and other additives already restricted abroad. It specifically targets substances that have been flagged for removal or banned outright in one or more of the following jurisdictions: Australia, Canada, the EU, or the UK.

Affected products will be required to carry a high-contrast front-of-pack warning label, using this language:

“WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom” (FoodBev).

Additional Details:

• The law only applies to packaging developed or copyrighted on or after Jan 1, 2027 (Washington Post).
• The requirement applies to new labels: companies do not have to recall old inventory or relabel existing packaging.
• Additives that would trigger warnings include 44 ingredients like Red Dye No. 40, Titanium Dioxide, Bromated Flour, and Propylparaben. See the full list here. 
• The law also establishes a nutrition advisory committee, requires updates to medical school nutrition training, and mandates physical activity in schools - all part of Texas’s broader public health reform effort under the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) banner.

Industry Reaction and What Comes Next

The Texas law has been met with concern and in some cases, resistance from food manufacturers. While some large brands have already begun reformulating products in response to additive bans in California and West Virginia, Texas’s labeling mandate takes a different approach by publicly flagging potentially controversial ingredients without banning them outright.

“No company wants to carry a warning label,” said Scott Faber, senior VP at the Environmental Working Group.

Many food companies argue that the Texas law creates a fragmented regulatory environment, forcing them to choose between:

• Reformulating products to avoid warning labels
• Designing Texas-specific packaging
• Or potentially withdrawing products from sale in the state

The Consumer Brands Association warned that the new law could “confuse consumers, increase costs, and create legal risk” for manufacturers. They also objected to the warning language itself, calling it misleading and unsupported by U.S. food safety evaluations.

Still, with major CPG companies like Kraft Heinz, Danone and Tyson Foods already announcing plans to remove synthetic colors, industry experts expect this new Texas law to accelerate reformulation timelines across categories — especially in snacks, drinks, and kids’ products.

How ENTR Can Help

As ingredient regulations shift rapidly, ENTR gives regulatory and R&D teams the tools to adapt without guesswork.

With ENTR, you can:

• Identify high-risk additives: Instantly flag ingredients banned in the EU, UK, Canada, or Australia across your formulations and map where warning labels may apply.
• Track emerging state mandates: ENTR adds new mandates and legislation as soon as it’s passed so you can easily stay on top of a fast-changing regulatory landscape.
• Reformulate with speed and confidence: Swap or remove flagged ingredients and preview reformulated products against U.S. and global regulations in real time.

Whether you're working ahead of Texas’s 2027 deadline or trying to align your formulations across multiple states, ENTR helps you stay ahead with full transparency and control.

📩 Need help flagging additives or setting up state-specific compliance alerts? Contact us to get started with ENTR.

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