What Foods Will Be Impacted by FDA's Red Dye No. 3 Ban
A pile of candy corn, which contains Red Dye No. 3, in Westchester County, N.Y., Oct. 23, 2023. Credit - Julia Rubin—The Associated Press
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food and ingested drugs on Wednesday, more than three decades after the agency prohibited it from being used in cosmetics because of possible cancer risks.
Consumer advocates and dietitians applauded the FDA for the move, though many also said it was overdue. In 1990, the FDA barred the dye from being used in cosmetics and topical drugs after a study found that it caused cancer in male rats. For years, consumer and health advocates have pushed the agency to do the same for foods, since federal rules require the FDA to prohibit additives that have been found to cause cancer in animals or humans.
Still, the FDA said in its announcement that the way Red 3 causes cancer in male rats “does not occur in humans,” and “studies in other animals and in humans did not show these effects; claims that the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and in ingested drugs puts people at risk are not supported by the available scientific information.”
The FDA said food and drug manufacturers will have until Jan. 15, 2027 or Jan. 18, 2028, respectively, to remove the dye from their products, and although other countries still allow the dye to be used in certain products, all foods imported to the U.S. have to comply with the new requirement.
Here’s what to know.
What is Red 3 in?
Red 3 is a synthetic colored dye that’s used to brighten the appearance of food products, giving it a vibrant red color, according to Brian Ronholm, the director of food policy for Consumer Reports. Ronholm says the dye doesn’t have any nutritional value, and is used purely for aesthetic purposes.
While some food manufacturers stopped using the dye in their products years ago, Ronholm says it can still be found in some products, like candies and other snacks. Vanessa Rissetto, a registered dietitian and co-founder of clinical nutrition care company Culina Health, says the dye can also be found in some cereals and baked goods.
What will companies replace Red 3 with?
Ronholm says that many companies around the world have already started using alternatives to Red 3, such as beet extract or other natural substitutes.
“That’s another frustrating piece of this, from a consumer perspective: Red Dye 3 is banned in other parts of the world, and so substitutes are already being used that are more natural, less toxic, and in a lot of cases, just as cost effective,” Ronholm says. “It’s frustrating to think that these food companies are making available these safer versions in other parts of the world, but the inferior versions remain for sale here in the U.S.”
According to Sensient Food Colors, which manufactures food colors and flavors, other alternatives to Red 3 include carmine (which many may not know is made from insects) and pigments from purple sweet potato, radish, and red cabbage.
Are other dyes safe?
Ronholm says consumer advocates have concerns over other types of dyes, including Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, Blue 2, and Green 3—all of which California banned from the meals, drinks, and snacks served by public schools in Sept. 2024, over concerns that the six dyes are linked to health and behavioral problems in some children. The FDA hasn’t established a “causal link” between children’s consumption of the six dyes and behavioral effects, but recommended further research. The agency still permits the six dyes to be used in foods.
“We’re hoping that this is just a first step for the FDA to be more focused on these synthetic food dyes and chemicals and additives,” Ronholm says. “This shouldn’t be a ‘standalone victory.’ It needs to be the first step in an extended process.”
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