The FDA could soon ban a food dye that’s been the subject of contentious debates for decades.
Red dye No. 3, used in candy and canned products like fruit cocktail, has been linked to cancer and behavioral disorders by challenged research studies.
Federal health officials say the dye is safe for human use, but health activists argue that the FDA is taking an unnecessary risk by continuing to allow it in food products.
The agency will announce its decision on red dye No. 3 “in the next few weeks,” according to The Washington Post.
Red dye safety
The FDA debate stems from the concern that exposure to red dye No. 3 increases your risk of developing cancer.
There’s research showing a link between red dye and cancer in animals, but health experts disagree on whether that research tell us anything about human consumption, according to The Washington Post.
“You have a scenario where although there may be cancer evidence in animals, there is also evidence that it is not harmful to humans,” Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, recently told a group of senators.
Opponents of red dye No. 3 say there’s no reason to keep using it even if the potential health risks can’t be definitely proven in the short term.
They “argue it should be banned since it is only added to enhance the color of food and serves no nutritional purpose,” The Washington Post reported.
The dye’s supporters from the food additive industry, on the other hand, argue that removing the dye would raise costs for consumers.
Meanwhile, FDA officials maintain that red dye No. 3 is safe.
“The totality of scientific evidence shows that these color additives in food — when used at approved levels — are safe for all consumers,” the FDA said in a statement to The Washington Post.
Red dye ban
Red dye was previously banned by lawmakers in California, although that state ban, which was passed in 2023, won’t take effect for three more years.
“Companies have until 2027 to reformulate their food and drinks or stop selling the products,” The Washington Post reported.
During the debate over the policy, California lawmakers noted that popular products like Skittles are already available without red dye No. 3 in other countries, as NPR reported at the time.
In response to California’s move — and perhaps in anticipation of the FDA’s current debate — some companies, including Peeps, have already begun adjusting their products to remove red dye No. 3, the article said.
Red dye 40
Red dye No. 3 is different than red dye No. 40, which has also faced pushback from some researchers and parents.
Red dye No. 40, which is commonly used in soda, sports drinks, popsicles and candy, is believed by some to cause unhealthy hyperactivity in kids, as the Deseret News previously reported.
Red dye No. 40 will not be immediately affected by the FDA’s upcoming decision on red dye No. 3, per The Washington Post.