US FDA bans Red No.3 dye used in food, drugs over likely cancer risks

Robert Besser
20 Jan 2025, 16:36 GMT+10

The U.S. has banned the use of a synthetic food dye, Red No. 3, which gives some candies, cakes, and medicines a cherry-red color after evidence showed it can cause cancer in lab rats
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the dye in food over 30 years after it was already banned in cosmetics
Linda Birnbaum, a former environmental health expert, welcomed the decision but questioned why a substance banned in cosmetics was still allowed in food

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. has banned the use of a synthetic food dye, Red No. 3, which gives some candies, cakes, and medicines a cherry-red color after evidence showed it can cause cancer in lab rats.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the dye in food over 30 years after it was already banned in cosmetics.

Linda Birnbaum, a former environmental health expert, welcomed the decision but questioned why a substance banned in cosmetics was still allowed in food. Consumer groups have been pushing for this ban for years, including a 2022 petition highlighting studies that link high exposure to the dye with cancer in male rats.

"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, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods.

However, the FDA stated that studies in humans and other animals didn't show the same harmful effects and that current evidence doesn't suggest a risk to people.

Companies using Red No. 3 in food must stop by January 15, 2027, while drug makers have until January 18, 2028, to comply with the ban.

Lawmakers recently questioned the FDA about food dye safety in a Senate hearing. The National Confectioners Association, a trade group, said food safety is its top priority and that it will follow the FDA's rules and guidelines.

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