The FDA Just Announced a Ban on Red Dye 3—Here’s What Foods Are Impacted
It impacts popular Betty Crocker, Walmart, and Brach's products.
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On Jan. 15, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it is banning all use of the color additive Red No. 3 in foods, drinks, and ingested drugs. The decision comes nearly three years after a petition was filed to revoke the use of Red dye No. 3 in accordance with the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
The Delaney Clause, which was created in 1960, prohibits the use of all food and color additives that have been shown to cause cancer in humans or animals.
Red No. 3, also known as erythrosine, has never been linked to cancer in humans. However, two studies found that male lab rats developed cancer when exposed to high levels of the color additive. While the FDA ensures that the cancer found in male rats was due to a “specific hormonal mechanism” that “does not occur in humans,” the findings were strong enough to elicit a ban on the additive.
What Is Red No. 3?
Red dye No. 3 is a color additive that is used to provide the cherry-red color in some candies, cakes, cookies, frozen desserts, ice creams, and more products. This specific dye has been illegal for use in cosmetic products and external drugs for years, however, only recently did it receive national attention for use in foods and ingested drugs.
You may recall that California lawmakers started lobbying to ban the color additive in foods a few years ago. And, thanks to the California Food Safety Act, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, businesses in the state can no longer manufacture or sell any foods with Red No. 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, or propylparaben.
While the FDA didn’t go as far as banning the other three ingredients, Red No. 3 will be banned in the U.S. beginning Jan. 18, 2028. Companies have until Jan. 15, 2027 or Jan. 18, 2028, to reformulate any products containing Red No. 3. Additionally, any imported goods that contain Red No. 3—even if imported from a country where it is still legal—will have to comply with FDA regulations.
What Foods Contain Red Dye No. 3?
Even though Skittles became the face of the California ban for its use of titanium dioxide, the candy doesn’t actually have Red No. 3 in it. However, there are thousands of other products that do contain the newly banned food dye.
To name a few, Red No. 3 is currently found in Brach’s candy corn and jelly beans, Strawberry Pez, Ring Pop Berry Blast, Betty Crocker cookie and mashed potato mixes, Walmart-brand cookie mixes, Chips Ahoy! Candy Blast Cookies, and more.
As of now, the FDA has not announced any other color additive bans—so foods made with Red dye No. 40 and any others food colorings are safe to consume. And, until the new authorization takes effect in 2028, brands can still sell these products, so you may want to take a look at the ingredients list on your go-to groceries to determine if they contain Red No. 3.
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