US bans popular red dye from foods — 35 years after it was banned in cosmetics

 The FDA today has issued an order today that will ban Red No. 3 from food products and ingested drugs.

The dye, which was approved for use in 1907, has been banned in cosmetics and topical drugs since 1990 over evidence that it can cause cancer. Its use in food is already banned or restricted in Australia, Japan, and countries in the EU.

Red No. 3. is commonly found in candy, gum and cookies, including Brach’s candy corn, Betty Crocker sprinkles and strawberry Ensure.

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The FDA today has issued an order today that will ban Red No. 3 from food products and ingested drugs.Getty Images/iStockphoto

Food manufacturers will have until Jan. 15, 2027, to remove it from all products, while makers of ingested drugs will have until Jan. 18, 2028.

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The new ban is based on the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which was enacted in 1960.

The Delaney Clause prohibits the FDA from authorizing any food or color additive that has been found to cause cancer.

“The FDA cannot authorize a food additive or color additive if it has been found to cause cancer in human or animals,” said Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy director for human foods, according to NBC. “Evidence shows cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No. 3.”

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The red dye is commonly used in candy and gum and can be found in strawberry Ring Pops.The Washington Post via Getty Images

The move came in response to a petition from the Center for Science in the Public Interest and 23 other organizations, which included data showing male lab rats exposed to high levels of Red No. 3 got cancer.

However, the FDA noted that studies in humans and other animals did not show the same effect, saying that “available data does not raise safety concerns for humans.”

They also said that Red No. 3 is used in Canada and Europe but under the name erythrosine.

While Red No. 3 has been banned in cosmetics and topical drugs for nearly 35 years, it has remained in food and ingested drugs — but not for lack of concern.

“The widespread use of red dye No. 3 is particularly concerning since it is found in many products marketed to children who are especially at risk of developing health problems from exposure,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports, said in a statement.

“These food dyes only serve one function in food, to make them look pretty so you and I want to buy it, it’s a marketing tool,” Thomas Galligan, who works at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told NBC.

In fact, the FDA previously announced that intended to ban it in food in 1992 but ultimately did not take action because of the resources that would be needed to remove its authorization.

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It can be found in many popular foods, including MorningStar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips, Dubble Bubble Original Twist Bubble Gum and Fruit by the Foot Starburst.AFP via Getty Images

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The Delaney Clause prohibits the FDA from authorizing any food or color additive that has been found to cause cancer.AFP via Getty Images

The federal ban comes over a year after The California Food Safety Act, in which Red No. 3 and three other food additives were banned in the state. That law, too, will not be implemented until 2027.

Other states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Illinois and South Dakota have also introduced legislation.

While the FDA has now followed suit, California’s law proved controversial at the time — and earned some backlash from food manufacturers.

“California is once again making decisions based on soundbites rather than science. Governor Newsom’s approval of this bill will undermine consumer confidence and create confusion around food safety,” the National Confectioners Association, an industry trade group, said in a statement.

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Peeps already began the process of removing Red No. 3 after California passed a ban in 2023.AP

“This is a slippery slope that the FDA could prevent by engaging on this important topic. We should be relying on the scientific rigor of the FDA in terms of evaluating the safety of food ingredients and additives.”

What is Red No. 3 and what foods is it in?

Also called Red 3 or FD&C Red 3, Red No. 3 is a synthetic food coloring derived from petroleum that can be found in many popular foods, including:

• MorningStar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips
• Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice
• PEZ Candy
• Dubble Bubble Original Twist Bubble Gum
• Entenmann’s Little Bites Party Cake Mini Muffins
• Betty Crocker Loaded Mashed Potatoes
• Fruit by the Foot Starburst
• Dole Diced Fruit Cup
• Fruit cocktail cherries

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“This is a slippery slope that the FDA could prevent by engaging on this important topic. We should be relying on the scientific rigor of the FDA in terms of evaluating the safety of food ingredients and additives,” the National Confectioners Association said in a statement.Artem Zakharov – stock.adobe.com

Some food brands have already taken steps to remove it.

In 2023, in response to California’s law, Peeps manufacturer Just Born announced plans to remove Red No. 3.

Last year, it was only in the pink and lavender varieties.

https://nypost.com/2025/01/15/health/us-bans-red-dye-no-3-from-foods-amid-evidence-it-causes-cancer/