Tennessee Senate Bill SB1818

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/20/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47, Chapter 18 and Title 53, relative to foods that contain forever chemicals.

Summary

SB1818 would prohibit the sale, delivery for sale, holding for sale, or offering for sale of food that contains “forever chemicals,” unless the food is labeled as containing those chemicals and includes disclosure of the known or possible health effects. The bill defines “forever chemicals” as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including examples such as PFOA, PFOS, PFBS, and HFPO-DA. The measure amends Tennessee law in Title 53, which governs food and drugs, and references Title 47 as part of the bill caption. Its practical effect would be to create a new consumer-disclosure requirement for food products containing PFAS and to restrict their sale unless the labeling condition is met. The act is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Impact

The bill would add a new prohibited practice under Tennessee’s food and drug laws for products containing PFAS, requiring disclosure labeling if such foods are sold. It would affect food manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and any other sellers of food products in Tennessee by imposing a labeling and warning obligation tied to the presence of these chemicals. The bill also expands the state’s regulatory framework around chemical contamination in food and consumer information.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available materials. Based on the text alone, the bill appears to reflect a consumer-protection and public-health approach focused on transparency about PFAS in food. The absence of voting history or discussion prevents a reliable assessment of legislative sentiment beyond the bill’s stated purpose.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is the scope and feasibility of requiring food products containing PFAS to be labeled with disclosures about known or possible health effects. Supporters would likely emphasize consumer right-to-know and health protection, while opponents may question the scientific certainty, labeling burden, compliance costs, and whether the requirement could affect the sale of a broad range of food products. Another likely issue is how “contains forever chemicals” would be determined and enforced in practice.