BATON ROUGE - State lawmakers say they want to take additives some say are harmful out of school lunches.

State Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington says he wants to take specific dyes and additives out of food served to Louisiana students. The specific ingredients include various food dyes, preservatives, and other chemicals.

Political analyst James Hartman says it's likely the school district might need to account for potentially more expensive ingredients.

"I don't know for certain, but I would suspect that school districts feeding large amounts of children every day tend toward less expensive food products, which means they're probably more likely to contain these things," Hartman said.

The bill goes further, requiring restaurants and food manufacturers to label whether food contains seed oils. Patrick McMath says he wants to ban chemicals that other countries are also avoiding.

"We have to do our part in Louisiana and show that we're serious about our metabolic health and the health of our children," McMath said.

Political analyst James Hartman compared the bills to recent pushes from U.S Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior nationally.

Kennedy has made comments about fluoride being used to treat water suggesting it's linked to potential health problems.
Fluoride is a mineral used by dentists to strengthen teeth and reduce cavities. It's been in public water systems for decades.

McMath says Kennedy's team is asking multiple states to consider legislation to stop using it in public water systems.

The legislative session starts April 14, and more than 150 bills have already been filed ahead of the session.