• The FDA announced a ban on Red No. 3, a food dye that studies have shown causes cancer in animals. linked to cancer in animals.
• Food manufacturers have until Jan. 15, 2027 to reformulate products and drugmakers have until Jan. 18, 2028.
• Red No. 3, found in products like candy, gum, and supplements, has been banned in cosmetics since 1990 and restricted in countries like Australia and the EU.
• The ban follows a 2022 petition by CSPI and aligns with California’s 2023 Food Safety Act, with other states proposing similar laws.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Wednesday, Jan. 15, that it will ban the use of Red No. 3, a synthetic food dye linked to cancer in animals, from all food products and ingested drugs.

Red No. 3, a petroleum-derived dye approved in 1907, has been banned in cosmetics and topical drugs since 1990 but remained legal in food and ingested medications despite evidence of its carcinogenic effects. (Related: The hidden dangers of Red No. 3: Why the FDA should ban this synthetic food dye.)

Thanks to the FDA’s new ban, food manufacturers have until Jan. 15, 2027, to reformulate products, while drugmakers have until Jan. 18, 2028.

The ban is rooted in the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, enacted in 1960, which prohibits the FDA from approving any food or color additive shown to cause cancer in humans or animals.

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

Red No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is commonly found in thousands of products, including candy, gum, cookies and even some dietary supplements. Popular items like Brach’s candy corn, Betty Crocker sprinkles and strawberry Ensure contain the dye. Its use has already been banned or restricted in Australia, Japan and the European Union.

Activists have been petitioning for a ban on Red No. 3 for years

The move comes in response to a 2022 petition from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and 23 other organizations, which highlighted studies showing cancer in male rats exposed to high doses of the dye. While the FDA noted that human studies did not show the same effect, it emphasized that the Delaney Clause leaves no room for ambiguity when cancer risks are identified in animal studies.

“At long last, the FDA is ending the regulatory paradox of Red 3 being illegal for use in lipstick, but perfectly legal to feed to children in the form of candy,” said Dr. Peter Lurie, president of CSPI.

The ban also aligns with California’s 2023 Food Safety Act, which prohibited Red No. 3 and three other additives in the state. Other states, including New York, New Jersey and Illinois, have introduced similar legislation. California Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), who authored the state’s ban, praised the FDA’s decision.

“This is a clear indication that our strategy of putting pressure on Washington and the FDA to take their regulatory responsibilities seriously is working,” Gabriel said.

The National Confectioners Association, which previously criticized California’s law as a “slippery slope,” has now expressed support for the FDA’s action.

“Food safety is the number one priority for U.S. confectionery companies, and we will continue to follow and comply with FDA’s guidance and safety standards,” the group said in a statement.

Some companies have already begun phasing out Red No. 3. In 2023, Peeps manufacturer Just Born announced plans to remove the dye from its products, while Dole Packaged Foods replaced it with carmine in its cherry fruit bowls.

“This is a big win for consumers, that this cancer-causing chemical is finally going to be out of the food supply. It is long overdue,” said Melanie Benesh, vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group.

Watch this clip discussing how the use of food dyes to poison Americans may be deliberate.

This video is from the TNTVNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

FDA finally takes action on toxic Red Dye No. 3.

The battle for a safer food supply: Consumers demand FDA ban cancer-causing Red Dye No. 3.

STUDY: Food dye tartrazine temporarily makes skin and muscle TRANSPARENT.

Study: Artificial food dyes linked to BEHAVIORAL ISSUES in kids.

Research shows food dyes can damage DNA structure and cause cancer.

Sources include:

NYPost.com

NBCNews.com

Brighteon.com