The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of red dye No. 3 in foods, beverages and ingested medications, decades after studies linked the synthetic additive to cancer in animals.
Red dye number 3, chemically known as erythrosine, is a petroleum-based additive used to impart a bright cherry red hue to various products.
The FDA decision announced Wednesday follows a November 2022 petition from advocacy groups such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Environmental Working Group, which highlighted the dye's carcinogenic properties. The ban aligns with California's October 2023 ban on the additive.
Manufacturers have deadlines to reformulate their products: January 15, 2027 for foods and January 18, 2028 for ingested medications. Imported products must also meet new regulatory requirements.
“Today's action by the FDA is long overdue, is a small step in the right direction, and hopefully signals a renewed effort by the FDA to do its job despite the many barriers that the food industry gets in their way,” said Dr. Jerold Mande, an associate professor of nutrition at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
Advocates hailed the ban as a historic moment for consumer health. “We would not be celebrating this historic decision today without the relentless leadership of public health advocates like Michael Jacobson and others who took up this fight decades ago on behalf of consumers,” said Ken Cook, co-founder and president of Environmental Working. Cluster.
Red dye No. 3 is present in many sweets, foods and drinks. However, major brands have already started removing the additive. Ferrara, the maker of Brach candies, reported that less than 10% of its products contain red dye No. 3 after the company began phasing it out in early 2023. Just Born, the maker of PEEPS, discontinued the additive after Easter 2024.
Some companies have turned to alternatives such as red dye number 40, which is considered less harmful due to its lower association with cancer in animals.
However, California banned red dye No. 40 in public schools in September 2024, citing its possible links to behavior and attention problems in children, as well as its content of benzene, a known carcinogen.
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