Red dye No. 3 can cause harmful health effects. These cherries are from a canned fruit cocktail sold by Dollar TreeIsland Choice Diced Fruit Cocktail (the cherries come in red #3).
Linney Gold and Silver | The Washington Post | Getty Images
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it will ban the use of Red No. 3, a synthetic dye that gives food and drinks a bright red cherry color but has been linked to cancer in animals.
The dye is still used in thousands of food products, including candies, cereals, cherry and strawberry-flavored milkshakes in fruit cocktails, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food safety advocacy group that petitioned the agency in 2022 to request It stopped using the dye.
The FDA’s decision marks a victory for consumer rights groups and some U.S. lawmakers, who have long urged the agency to revoke the additive’s approval, citing strong evidence of its use in beverages, dietary supplements, cereals and candy. May cause cancer and affect behavior in children.
Food manufacturers have until January 15, 2027 to reformulate their products. Companies that make ingestible drugs, such as dietary supplements, will get an extra year.
“The FDA cannot approve a food additive or color additive if it is found to cause cancer in humans or animals,” Jim Jones, FDA deputy director for human foods, said in a statement. “There is evidence that exposure Male laboratory rats exposed to high concentrations of FD&C Red No. 3 developed cancer.”
What is red dye No. 3?
Red dye No. 3 is made from petroleum and was approved for food use in 1907.
The FDA first became aware of the additive’s possible carcinogenicity after a study in the 1980s found that male rats exposed to high doses of the additive developed tumors. The agency banned the additive in cosmetics in 1990.
“It removes unnecessary dangers from the U.S. food supply, and we welcome this action even though it should have happened more than three decades ago,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a senior research institutions.
Red 3 has been banned or severely restricted outside the United States, including Australia, Japan and EU countries.
Some U.S. food manufacturers have removed artificial dyes from their products, including Red No. 3.
All color additives must be approved by the FDA before they can be used in food sold in the United States.
The FDA said it has been actively reviewing Red No. 3’s approval after a coalition of organizations, including CSPI, filed a petition asking the agency to revoke the additive’s approval in food, citing its potential cancer risks.
There are also concerns about whether artificial food dyes may affect children’s behavior. 2011FDA Review of possible links between artificial dyes and ADHD in children. However, it determined that causation could not be established.
Although the FDA is currently revoking its approval and ending its use nationwide, other states have already taken action.
According to CSPI, California and 10 other states have taken action to ban food dyes.
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