U.S. Takes Bold Step: Bans Red Dye No. 3 in Food, Candy, and Medicines!

The United States has prohibited the employment of a synthetic dye commonly added to food and drinks to provide them a vivid, cherry-red coloration.

Producers will be forbidden from using the dye, known as red No 3 or red dye 3, following studies that connected it to cancer in male lab rats, as announced by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday.

Although typical exposure to the dye among humans is considerably lower than in the rats from the studies, US legislation mandates a ban if any cancer association is discovered.

The dye finds application mainly in candies, cakes, cookies, frozen treats and frosting, as well as certain pharmaceuticals, the agency stated.

The prohibition stems from a petition lodged in 2022 by several organizations, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest. They contended the dye ought to be banned due to its connections to cancer and its prevalent use among US consumers, especially children.

Red No 3 was previously prohibited in cosmetics 35 years ago by the FDA. California also barred the additive in food products in October 2023.

It is restricted in countries beyond the US, including Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union.

The FDA’s ban is considered “long-awaited,” stated the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a US-based non-profit consumer advocacy organization that has long campaigned for the prohibition.

“Finally, the FDA is resolving the regulatory contradiction of Red 3 being banned in lipstick, yet entirely lawful to offer to children in the guise of candy,” declared the group’s president, Dr. Peter Lurie, in a statement on Wednesday.

Food producers utilizing red No 3 will have until January 2027 to reformulate their offerings, while pharmaceutical manufacturers will receive an additional year – until January 2028 – to adapt.

Imported food into the US must also conform to the new prohibition, as stated by the FDA.

Red No 3, also referred to as erythrosine or red dye 3, has been incorporated into a variety of candies, baked goods, fruit items, and drinks.

Colored confections – such as Pez – contain the additive among their ingredients. It has also been employed in toaster pastries, maraschino cherries, and various sodas and fruit-flavored beverages.

The additive was utilized in cough syrups and gummy vitamins to impart a vivid red hue.

Some manufacturers have already phased out the use of the dye in their products, including Dole, which removed it from its fruit bowls in 2023.

Instead of red dye 3, certain companies have begun employing red dye 40, considered a healthier substitute, although one study linked it to a rise in bowel issues in mice.

Moreover, a research conducted by the UK’s Food Standards Agency associated red dye 40 with heightened hyperactivity in children. The additive was banned in California schools as of the previous year.