“This is the right decision and matches recommendations from other countries to protect against toxicity and future health harms. Overall, it is one small step amidst a larger need to make our food supply safer for the most vulnerable, such as young children,” says Sheela Sathyanarayana, MD, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington and an investigator with the Seattle Children’s Research Institute.
What Is Red Dye No. 3 and How Does It Impact Our Health?
FD&C Red No. 3, also called Red 3 and erythrosine, is a synthetic food coloring made from petroleum that is used to give foods and drinks a bright red cherry color.
Scientists believe Red 3 causes a hormonal reaction specific to male rats that results in cancer. But later animal studies didn’t find any cancer link, and there’s no evidence showing that Red No. 3 causes cancer in humans.
What Foods Contain Red Dye No. 3?
- Seasonal candies: Valentine treats like “conversation hearts,” cherry cordials, and other candies including PEZ, Fruit by the Foot, Hot Tamales, Dubble Bubble gum, candy corn, and ring pops may include Red 3.
- Maraschino cherries: Some companies have made the switch to Red 40, but the cherry industry is the largest user of Red 3–dyed products in the United States and Europe.
- Fruit cocktails: Some common brands of canned or packaged fruit medleys use cherries dyed with Red 3.
The dyes can also be found in some strawberry-flavored milks, sodas, vegetarian meats, ice creams, and desserts.
Why the FDA Finally Banned Red Dye No. 3
Red Dye No. 3 Ban Is a Good Thing for Consumers
The ban is a long overdue decision from the FDA, says Kate Donelan, RD, a registered dietitian with Stanford Health Care in California.
“It’s certainly positive to eliminate unnecessary risks, especially as there are safer, natural coloring agents like beet juice or paprika extract that can have the same impact as Red Dye 3 without the potential for harm,” she says.
Regulation makes it easier for people to avoid potentially risky additives, says Dr. Sathyanarayana.
“Often, consumers are left with the burden of deciding what food products to buy, without significant knowledge of health harms. This creates confusion and anxiety for those who are trying to make positive decisions for household meals, but are left with endless choices,” she says.
FDA Move Reflects Growing Public Concern About Food Additives
“People are waking up to the much more lenient food policies here in the United States compared with the EU, where stricter regulations have been the norm for years,” says Donelan. “We need to expand this critical eye to other artificial additives with questionable safety profiles, such as Red Dye 40 or Yellow 5,” she says.
Sathyanarayana agrees. “This is one positive step, but there is so much more to do to make our food supply safer and healthier. The FDA needs to reevaluate the safety of many additives that have long been thought to be safe based on outdated data or limited data. It also needs to start regulating environmental contaminants from food processing and packaging that can be harmful to human health,” she says.
