Doritos and other snack foods could soon carry warning labels in Texas

A Texas bill aimed at requiring warning labels on packaged foods containing certain additives, including popular snacks like Doritos and M&Ms, has advanced to the governor’s desk after being passed by the state legislature.

Newsweek contacted Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for comment on Tuesday outside of regular office hours via online inquiry form.

Why It Matters

If enacted, Texas would become one of the first states to require such disclosures, potentially reshaping national food industry standards as companies often choose to implement changes mandated by major states nationwide to avoid regulatory overlap.

Bloomberg said the legislation becoming law would be “one of the most substantive victories yet” for Kennedy’s Make America Health Again movement.

What To Know

Senate Bill 25, passed unanimously in the Texas State Senate, mandates labels on products containing any of more than 40 additives which are currently legal under federal U.S. standards but banned or require warnings in other major Western nations or bodies.

Ingredients covered by the list include synthetic dyes, titanium dioxide, bleached flour, partially hydrogenated oils, melatonin, and various food colorings. The label must state: “This product contains an artificial color, chemical, or food additive that is banned in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.”

Impacted products would include Nacho Cheese Doritos, PepsiCo Inc.’s Mountain Dew and Mars Inc.’s M&Ms, according to Bloomberg due to their use of synthetic dyes.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott has not yet publicly stated whether he will sign the bill into law.

Enforcement will be managed by the state attorney general, and violations may incur penalties of up to $50,000 per violation plus reimbursement for enforcement costs.

The legislation also establishes a state nutrition advisory committee, mandates 30 minutes of daily physical activity during the school day for grades below six, and instructs Texas schools to implement new nutrition education curricula.

Senate Bill 25 was filed by Republican Senator Lois Kolkhorst and prioritized by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

Speaking to Bloomberg, Texas state Rep. Lacey Hull, one of the bill’s sponsors in the House, said she received a supportive call from Kennedy after the bill passed the Texas Legislature.

What People Are Saying

Speaking to Newsweek, Abbott’s press secretary Andrew Mahaleris said: “Governor Abbott will continue to work with the legislature to ensure Texans have access to healthy foods to care for themselves and their families and will thoughtfully review any legislation they send to his desk.”

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Press Secretary Emily G. Hilliard told Newsweek: “Secretary Kennedy encourages states to promote healthy practices and enhance consumer transparency in food labeling. Americans deserve to know what’s in their food so they can make informed choices for themselves and their families.”

The Consumer Brands Association is urging Abbott not to sign the bill. Its senior vice president of state affairs, John Hewitt, said: “The ingredients used in the U.S. food supply are safe and have been rigorously studied following an objective science and risk-based evaluation process.

“The labeling requirements of SB 25 mandate inaccurate warning language, create legal risks for brands and drive consumer confusion and higher costs.”

In a joint statement, a coalition of companies including Walmart Inc., PepsiCo and Mondelez, Coca-Cola Co. said: “As it’s written, the food labeling provision in this bill casts an incredibly wide net—triggering warning labels on everyday grocery items based on assertions that foreign governments have banned such items, rather than on standards established by Texas regulators or by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”

What Happens Next

The bill awaits a decision from Abbott, who has not publicly commented on his intentions. If signed, the law will take effect on January 1, 2027, and Texas will begin enforcing the new labeling and health education requirements statewide.

Update 6/3/25, 10:35 a.m. ET: This story has been updated with comment from Governor Abbott’s press secretary Andrew Mahaleris and from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Press Secretary Emily G. Hilliard.