Here’s Why FDA Banned Red No. 3 Food Dye

The FDA banned Red 3 food coloring. A scientist explains the dye’s history and health risks
Over 35 years after the first study linking the artificial food dye Red 3 to thyroid cancer in rats was published, the U.S. is beginning to phase it out of foods and drugs.
FDA bans red dye No. 3 from food, drinks and ingested drugs in the US
Red dye No. 3 has been permissible for use in food despite the Delaney Clause of the FDA’s Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The clause, in part, “prohibits the FDA from approving a color additive that is ingested if it causes cancer in animals or humans when ingested,” according to the agency .
FDA bans Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs. Here's when it has to be phased out by
Red No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is a color additive made from petroleum that gives foods and drinks a bright, cherry-red color.
Why is the FDA slow to ban food additives?
The dye is a "color additive made from petroleum," which "could previously be used in foods in small amounts as approved by the FDA on a per-case basis," said Forbes. Scientists have been pushing for a ban in food for decades, and California became the first state to ban it, with 10 other states introducing legislation to do so.
The FDA has officially banned Red No. 3. Here are some products that contain the cancer-causing dye
On January 15, 2025, the FDA issued an order to revoke these authorizations. Manufacturers who use FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs will have until January 15, 2027, or January 18, 2028, respectively,
Here’s Why the FDA Banned Red No. 3 Food Dye
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the synthetic food dye Red No. 3 (erythrosine) from food products and oral medications due to potential cancer risks. Food manufacturers have roughly two years to reformulate their products,
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