ASSEMBLY CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND FOOD SECURITY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2050

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 16, 2026

      The Assembly Children, Families and Food Security Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2050.

      As amended, this bill adds four substances to the general prohibition on adulterated commercial food and bans an additional six substances from school food.

      The amended bill adds brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and red dye 3 to the conditions that deem food for human consumption adulterated.

      It is unlawful for any entity in this State to distribute, sell, manufacture for sale or distribution, or possess with intent to sell or distribute, any adulterated food.  The State Sanitary Code, N.J.A.C.8:24, provides that enforcement of this bill is to be carried out by the Department of Health.  Each violation constitutes a separate offense and is punishable by a penalty of not less than $50 and not more than $1,000 pursuant to section 10 of P.L.1947, c.177 (C.26:1A-10).

      As amended, this bill prohibits six additional substances from food served, sold, or given away anywhere on school property during the school day, including items served in the reimbursable After School Snack Program.  The additional substances are all artificial food dyes, namely: red 40; yellow 5; yellow 6; blue 1; blue 2; and green 3.

      The prohibition on food dyes in school foods would be effective August 1, 2028.  The provisions of the bill regarding commercial food would take effect one year after enactment.  

      These amendments make this bill identical to Senate No. 3785.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to:

(1)  prohibit several food dyes from food served, sold, or given away anywhere on school property during the school day, including items served in the reimbursable After School Snack Program. This provision would take effect on August 1, 2028; and

(2)  make technical corrections involving punctuation, grammar, and syntax.