The FDA wants Red No. Ban 3 from all foods and points to a potential cancer risk

The FDA wants Red No. Ban 3 from all foods and points to a potential cancer risk

The Food & Drug Administration announced Wednesday that it is changing its color additive regulations to ban the use of Red No. 3 is no longer permitted in food, drinks or medications taken.

The FDA says it has approved Red No. 3 has been actively investigating for years after a coalition of organizations launched a petition highlighting the potential cancer risks and impact on children.

Nora Demers, a biology expert at Florida Gulf Coast University, and Francisco Diez, a food scientist at the University of Georgia, tell us they agree that the ban on Red No. 3 from all foods is a step in the right direction.

“This is absolutely a positive step,” Demers said.

“From a public health perspective, you would say, yes, this is a good step,” Diez added.

Red #3 is a synthetic dye that gives foods and drinks a bright, cherry red color. It is typically found in sweets and some ingested medications such as acetaminophen.

“All sorts of highly processed foods with bright colors are being marketed to appeal to children,” Demers said.

Jamie Alan, a toxicology expert at Michigan State University, tells us: There’s no need to panic. If you eat food with Red No. If you have 3 in it, you don’t have to throw it all away.

“It will be perfectly fine to consume what you have,” Alan said.

The dye, made from petroleum, was approved for use in food as early as 1907. But Alan says advocacy groups have been fighting to revoke the approval for years.

“While Red Dye No. 3 poses significant health concerns in addition to the potential cancer risk, it can also cause behavioral problems, particularly in children,” Alan said.

Alan says that although the dye is now banned, other synthetic dyes such as Red No. 40 may still be used. That’s why she hopes Wednesday’s news will lead to a deeper conversation.

“Whether synthetic dyes should be banned in general or whether a larger proportion of synthetic dyes should be banned,” Alan said.

The FDA has given food manufacturers until January 15, 2027 to remove all Red No. 3 to remove from their products. Dietary supplements receive an additional year. Some states, like California, already have a ban in effect.

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