A red dye used in thousands of candies, drinks and other processed foods has been banned due to its links to cancer.
Companies using the dye will have January 2027 to remove Red Dye No 3 – which creates the bright cherry-like color – from their foods.
The dye is present in around 26 percent of baking decorations and dessert toppings, 16 percent of chewing gum and mints, 13 percent of candy, and 11 percent of cookies and biscuits.
The FDA agency said it was taking the action as a ‘matter of law’ because some studies have found that the dye caused cancer in lab rats.
Companies using the dye in drugs, such as cough syrups, will have until January 2028 to remove it, according to the new FDA ruling.
Advocacy groups have been pressuring the government to ban the additive in foods for years, 35 years after the FDA banned it from cosmetics over health concerns.
The federal government’s ban mirrors one in California that went into effect in October 2023.
‘The FDA is taking action that will remove the authorization for the use of… Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs,’ said Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods.
Pictured above is a product affected by the incoming ban, as Dubble Bubble contains Red Dye No.3
Dyes like Red 3 are used to give candies their bright and vibrant colors. In addition to California, which has banned it, at least 10 other states have taken steps to ban the additive in foods
‘Evidence shows cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No.3.’
But Jones stressed the way Red No 3 causes cancer in rats does not occur in humans, stressing it was a cautionary move.
The move mirrors a ban in California targeting food dyes. At least 10 other states have taken steps to ban the additive in foods.
Meanwhile, the the National Confectioners Association said in a statement: ‘Our consumers and everyone in the food industry want and expect a strong FDA, and a consistent, science-based national regulatory framework.’
‘For years, our industry has been calling for more transparency, more funding, and more staff resources for the FDA to continue fulfilling its mission, and it’s time to put politics aside and work together to fund the FDA at levels that will allow it to continue its work.’
Vani Hari, a campaigner who has been pushing Kelloggs to remove the dye from its cereals, said: ‘Red No. 3 being allowed in our food for over 30 years, after being banned in cosmetics, is one of the greatest examples of how conflicts of interest have prevented the FDA from protecting the American people.’
A spokeswoman for the National Confectioners Association, which represents many candy companies, said: ‘Food safety is the number one priority for US confectionary companies.
‘We will continue to follow and comply with FDA’s guidance and safety standards.’
Red 3 can also be found in candies such as jelly beans. Red 3 has also been linked to potential behavioral problems like hyperactivity, similar to red 40. And there is some evidence that red 3 affects hormone activity, contributing to thyroid problems
She added: ‘Our consumers and everyone in the food industry want and expect a strong FDA, and a consistent, science-based national regulatory framework.’
Red 3 can also be found in jelly beans, colored sprinkles, milks, juices, cake mix, frozen yogurts, sports drinks, and some meats.
There’s no indication yet that food manufacturers will fight the new rule, and they will be given ample time to reformulate their products to come into compliance.
Manufacturers could shift to using red 40, which, along with red 3, have been linked to myriad health issues.
Red 3 has been classified as a possible human carcinogen after evidence in previous studies have shown ties to thyroid tumors in rats. After 70 male rats were fed doses of red 3 equaling four percent of their diets over their lifetime, 15 developed thyroid tumors.
Red 3 has also been linked to potential behavioral problems like hyperactivity, similar to red 40. And there is some evidence that red 3 affects hormone activity, contributing to thyroid problems.
