MAHA-like warning labels coming to Texas grocery shelves in 2027

A new Texas law will require warning labels on food products containing certain ingredients, with enforcement set to begin in 2027. Signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Senate Bill 25 positions Texas as the first state in the nation to require warning labels on foods containing certain artificial colors, additives, and ingredients restricted in other countries.

The legislation also introduces broad reforms across the state’s education and healthcare systems, reflecting a coordinated effort to “Make Texas Healthy Again” and advance U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.

Starting in 2027, food manufacturers selling in Texas must label products that contain any of 44 specific additives if those substances are not recommended for human consumption by regulators in Australia, Canada, the EU, or the U.K.

The warning must read: “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.”

The list includes ingredients like titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, Red 3, BHA, and BHT. The law applies to all labeled food sold in Texas, including online products, and violations could result in fines of up to $50,000 per day per product.

Notably, however, several of the ingredients flagged by the law are already restricted under U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines or permitted with conditions. Exemptions exist for restaurant food, USDA-regulated products, and non-edible goods.

Beyond labeling, SB 25 mandates a slate of health-focused reforms across education and healthcare. These include:

• Mandatory daily physical activity for elementary and middle school students, with clear guidelines preventing the use of recess or P.E. as disciplinary tools.
• A new elective course in nutrition and wellness for high school students, incorporating content on culinary skills, horticulture, and consumer economics.
• Nutrition education in higher education, requiring institutions offering health-related degrees to incorporate curricula based on scientific guidelines developed by a new Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee.

The law also impacts health professionals. Physicians, nurses, and physician assistants will be required to complete continuing education in nutrition and metabolic health as part of their license renewal beginning in 2027.

SB 25 creates the Texas Nutrition Advisory Committee to oversee development of evidence-based dietary guidelines. Members will include physicians, pediatricians, nutrition experts, and community representatives. Strict conflict-of-interest rules bar anyone with financial ties to the food, pharmaceutical, or supplement industries from serving.

The committee will be tasked with reviewing the health impacts of ultra-processed foods, maintaining public-facing dietary recommendations, and issuing annual reports to lawmakers. These guidelines will inform curriculum development for schools, colleges, and continuing education programs across Texas.