FDA bans Red Dye No. 3, but don’t panic if you’ve eaten it

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned Red Dye No. 3an additive used to color the food bright red, because it is carcinogenic. However, if you have been enthusiastically chowing down Betty Crocker Red Icing o Brach’s Candy Cornthere is no need to fear. You probably haven’t eaten enough to cause cancer, and even if you did, you still need it missed.

It is also known as erythrosine or E127Red Dye No. 3 is created by oil and is typically found in sweet foods such as candy, cakes, and frozen desserts. The US ban comes in response to a 2022 joint petition from many organizations, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Partners for Breast Cancer Prevention, Environmental Health Centerand the Center for Food Security.

In a statement on WednesdayThe FDA acknowledged the petitioners’ submission of two studies showing that male laboratory rats developed cancer after being exposed to “high levels” of Red Dye No. 3. However, it noted that this was “due to a hormonal mechanism rat specific”. and furthermore that humans are not typically exposed to as much Red Dye No. 3 as was used in these studies.

“The way FD&C Red No. 3 causes cancer in male rats is not found in humans,” the FDA wrote. “Studies in other animals and in humans have not shown 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’.

However, the FDA chose to ban Red Dye No. 3 under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act‘s Delaney Clause. This clause prevents chemical food additives from being approved by the FDA if it has been found to induce cancer in humans or animals, and does not allow for prodigious amounts or special hormones of rats.

If a substance has been shown to cause cancer, even if it’s in a rat, it’s understandable to want to avoid it if you can. Food colorings such as erythrosine it offers no nutritional value nor enhance the taste, and can be easily removed from a person’s diet without adverse effects. Even so, there is no reason to be alarmed or rush to your doctor if you have enjoyed eating foods colored by Red Dye No. 3 so far.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest called this “long overdue ban” a “public health win”. However, he also noted that knowledge of the carcinogenic properties of Red Dye No. 3 is not new, and that the FDA has already banned the additive from use in cosmetics and topical drugs 35 years ago in 1990. Red Dye No. 3 has long been banned. or restricted as a food additive in other jurisdictions as well, including Australia, New Zealandand countries in the EU.

California passed a bill ban red dye #3 in 2023, with it will take effect from January 1, 2027. However, other states may continue to ingest Red Dye No. 3 for a little longer. The FDA gives food manufacturers a two-year grace period to reformulate their products, with Red Dye No. 3 to be removed from January 15, 2027. Drug manufacturers get an extra year to do the same, with a date of January. 18, 2028. Imported foods are also subject to the new FDA restriction, so you can’t get your Red Dye No. 3 fix from overseas. (if for some reason it was something I wanted to do).

Red Dye No. 3 is not confused Red Dye No. 40a more common additive that also gives food a bright red color and remains approved for human consumption from the FDA. Although there have been studies that ask Red Dye No. 40’s safetywith some evidence suggesting that it can aggravates hyperactivity in particularly sensitive children, the current consensus is that it presents little risk.