Laws
Utah school food additive law (HB 402)
Utah wrote one of the first school-only laws in 2025. It covers the whole school day, not just the lunch tray, and leaves room for what families bring.
Is this dye or additive banned in your state?
FD&C Red No. 40 in Utah, November 5, 2026
Banned in school food in Utah
| FDA | Allowed by FDA Listed for use in food. FDA asked industry in April 2025 to stop using it voluntarily; its tracker names the end of 2027 as the target. No revocation order. |
| school food | In effect HB 402 (2025), from the 2026-2027 school year. |
FD&C Red No. 40, E129, CAS 25956-17-6. School rules cover food served or sold to students, not grocery shelves. Legal status only, not health advice.
All dye and additive rules in UtahUtah's House Bill 402, Food Additives in Schools, was signed by the governor on March 27, 2025 and is codified at section 53G-9-205.2 of the Utah Code. Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, a public school may not sell, donate, offer or serve on school grounds during the school day a food that contains potassium bromate, propylparaben, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 or Yellow 6. Its wording, sell, donate, offer or serve, reaches beyond the cafeteria tray to anything the school itself provides during the school day. The law keeps exceptions, for example for food a parent sends with a child. It does not touch food sold in Utah stores or food that students buy off campus. Because it started with the current school year, it is one of the rules already in effect.
How long until a state rule starts?
Utah, HB 402 (2025) (school food)
Already in effect
| Starts | the 2026-2027 school year |
| Covers | 9 dyes or additives |
| Status today | In effect |
Laws and FDA orders read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Where Utah sits among the school laws
Utah's list mixes the certified dyes with two preservatives, potassium bromate and propylparaben, a pattern Arizona and Iowa followed. Virginia and Alaska name dyes only. The school meal comparison sets the scopes side by side.
Families who want to check a snack against the rule can paste its ingredient list into the checker with Utah selected.
Utah rules on dyes and additives
| Law | Scope | Substances | From | Status today | Enforcement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HB 402 (2025) | school food | Potassium bromate, Propylparaben, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 | the 2026-2027 school year | In effect | not stated |
Each tracked substance in Utah
| Substance | FDA | All food sold | School food | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red 40 | Allowed by FDA | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Red 3 | FDA ban ordered, not yet in effect | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Yellow 5 | Allowed by FDA | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Yellow 6 | Allowed by FDA | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Blue 1 | Allowed by FDA | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Blue 2 | Allowed by FDA | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Green 3 | Allowed by FDA | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Citrus Red 2 | Still allowed; FDA proposed a ban | no | no | no |
| Orange B | Banned nationwide by FDA | no | no | no |
| BVO | Banned nationwide by FDA | no | no | no |
| Potassium bromate | Allowed by FDA | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Propylparaben | Allowed by FDA | no | In effect (the 2026-2027 school year) | no |
| Titanium dioxide | Allowed by FDA | no | no | no |
| BHA | Allowed by FDA | no | no | no |