The FDA has banned the use of red dye No. 3 in food, beverages, and ingested drugs in the United States, citing links to cancer in animals. This decision comes more than 30 years after the discovery of these links and follows similar bans in California and the European Union.
Key Points
- The FDA has banned the use of red dye No. 3 in food, beverages, and ingested drugs in the US.
- Red dye No. 3 is a synthetic color additive made from petroleum and has been linked to cancer in animal studies.
- The ban follows a petition from advocacy groups and the California government’s ban on the additive in 2023.
- Some major food and beverage companies have already phased out the use of red dye No. 3 in their products.
- The FDA has previously banned the use of red dye No. 3 in cosmetics and topical drugs due to its carcinogenic effects in animal studies, but allowed its use in food and ingested drugs.
- The FDA’s decision is based on the Delaney Clause, which prohibits the agency from approving a color additive that causes cancer in animals or humans.
- The decision is seen as a “monumental victory” for consumer health, but some experts argue the FDA should have acted sooner to remove the additive from the food supply.
