Biasiucci’s Italy Trip Spawns Bill Banning Food Additives

What started with a box of Italian Froot Loops has resulted in a bill banning 11 ultra-processed food ingredients in Arizona school meals. Rep. Leo Biasiucci’s (R-30) House Bill HB2164 officially prohibits public schools in the Grand Canyon State from serving or selling meals with ingredients like red dyes 3 and 40, the whitening agent titanium dioxide, and brominated vegetable oil, among others. Hobbs signed the bill on April 14, 2025, impacting meals provided by the state’s school systems. It does not prevent parents from packing lunches with foods containing those ingredients.

“You’re talking about our children — the most important part of our population,” said Biasiucci. “This law is going to be a game-changer, and I think other states are going to follow.”

The inspiration came with Biasiucci’s latest jaunt to Italy in 2024 to visit family. He began noticing the stark label differences between Froot Loops sold in the United States and those sold in Italy. While American cereal uses artificial dyes to give its cereal its signature bright colors, European cereal relies on fruit and vegetable juices, such as cherry and radish juices.

“I thought, ‘If Kellogg’s is making this product healthier for its European market, why aren’t they making it for us?'” said Biasiucci. “I started researching what these dyes are doing and it was an absolute eye-opener — behavioral issues, ADHD, cancers.”

Biasiucci, who estimates that he has had about 50 of his bills signed into law during his time in the legislature, said he received some resistance from the food additive industry. They wanted him to leave titanium dioxide off the list. But after discovering research indicating that the ingredient’s nanoparticles are linked to cancer, he felt compelled to leave it on the banned list.

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I took titanium dioxide off the list of banned ingredients, and in 10 years from now, the data became clear that it was toxic,” he said. “I stuck to my guns.”

HB 2164 received solid bipartisan and celebrity backing, with both Democrats and comedian, actor, and Arizona resident Rob Schneider publicly supporting its passage. The school district in Lake Havasu City, Biasiucci’s hometown, even passed its own version governing local school meals in February 2025.

“Across the state legislature, I think we’re always happy to look at targeted, science-based ways to make kids healthier,” said Rep. Kevin Volk (D-17).

Biasiucci, the father of a two-year-old daughter, predicted a lasting impact.

“I think you’re going to see everything from parents being happy, teachers being happy, because they’re going to notice that the behavioral issues are going to drastically lessen,” he said. “I just know that when I see what these ultra-processed foods are doing to our children, you think, ‘I don’t want to give to my child, or anyone’s child.'”