Earlier this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revoked the approval of dye Red No. 3, which is used in a variety of foods and drugs. The artificial dye, made from petroleum and found to cause cancer in rats, was removed in response to a 2022 petition from the Center for Science in the Public Interest and other advocacy groups.
Cherry red food coloring is found in foods such as candy, maraschino cherries, and strawberry-flavored milk drinks, and in medicines such as cough syrup. Manufacturers of food and ingestible medicines are required to remove dyes from their products by January 15, 2027 and January 18, 2028, respectively.
Food safety activists have cited concerns about possible carcinogenicity in humans and evidence that similar dyes may contribute to behavioral problems in children such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). For this reason, I have been calling for the removal of Red No. 3 for many years.
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scientific american We spoke to experts to find out why this red dye is banned, how much exposure can be harmful, and how it compares to other food colorings.
Which red dyes are prohibited?
The official name is Red No. 3.
What foods and medicines contains it?
Found in candy, fruit juices, snack foods, maraschino cherries, and strawberry-flavored milk. It is also found in some medicines, such as cough syrups.
Why was it banned?
Male rats developed thyroid tumors after being exposed to high levels of the dye in a laboratory study. But the FDA says rats develop cancer through a hormonal mechanism that does not occur in humans, and studies in humans and other animals have not shown similar effects. Nevertheless, the dye was removed under the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which prohibits FDA approval of food or colorants found to cause cancer in humans. or animal.
Concerns have also been raised that some other artificial dyes, including another red dye called Red No. 40, may contribute to hyperactivity disorder in children.
Why did it take so long for the United States to ban this compound from food?
The FDA has banned the use of Red No. 3 in cosmetics and topical medications since 1990. The European Union banned the use of dyes in food (except cocktail cherries) in 1994, and California did the same in 2023.
“The FDA has very large powers and has focused primarily on pharmaceuticals. In the food sector, (Escherichia coli “Infectious diseases),” said Sheila Satyanarayana, professor of pediatrics and adjunct professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Research Institute. and environmental exposures and contaminants. ”
The FDA under the Biden administration recently created the Food and Chemical Safety Administration. “We hope that the new office will allow us to evaluate multiple different exposures, from food additives to contaminants, in a more comprehensive way,” Satyanarayana said.

Red No. 3 is also found in some cough medicines.
Food, Drink and Diet/Mark Sykes/Alamy Stock Photo
How much of this red dye can be harmful?
A related study appears to have exposed rats to much higher doses of dye than humans would normally ingest. It is very difficult to conduct studies on toxic doses in humans because it is unethical to conduct randomized controlled trials in which people are given foods containing large amounts of certain additives. Most human studies on food composition are epidemiological and require people to remember what foods they ate and how much, which is notoriously unreliable.
Melinda Ring, an internist and director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, says the maximum daily intake of Red No. 3 is 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. “Based on typical concentrations, this equates to approximately 12 red gummy bears in children and 36 red gummy bears in adults,” Ring wrote in an email. scientific american. “However, research shows that cumulative exposure to toxins can have additive effects, and that it is safer to avoid synthetic dyes altogether than to consume ‘acceptable’ amounts.” is shown.”
Do other artificial food colors also pose health risks?
Red No. 3 may be one of the most well-studied dyes, but other dyes such as Red No. 40 have also been associated with health concerns. Some studies have linked red dye to an increased risk of behavioral disorders such as ADHD.
Now that Red No. 3 has been banned, it will be interesting to see if the FDA bans some of these other dyes, said U of A, Associate Professor of Medical Oncology and Director of Lifestyle Medicine, Prevention and Digital Health at U of A says Tracy Crane. Miller School of Medicine in Miami.
Should I avoid eating foods that contain artificial colors?
In general, it’s best not to consume large amounts of foods or medicines that contain artificial colors. “I always tell people to cut back (on consumption),” Crane said. “What I tell people is, ‘It’s much better not to put artificial substances in your body.’ If that color isn’t created by nature, it’s probably synthetic.” Instead, beets, carrots There are safer natural alternatives, such as , and even dyes made from insects.
One of the problems with foods containing artificial colors is that they often try to target children by using bright, cheerful colors. “We need to change our expectations of what food should be like,” Crane says.
And it’s not just artificial dyes that can be harmful. Many foods containing these dyes are also high in sugar. “For cancer prevention, it is recommended that less than 10 percent of your calories come from added sugar,” Hannah Mannera, a registered dietitian at Northwestern Medicine, said in an emailed statement. . scientific american.
Many of these foods are also ultra-processed, and some studies have linked this category of foods to a variety of illnesses and health problems. “By choosing whole, unprocessed foods or carefully reading ingredient labels, consumers can reduce their exposure to synthetic dyes and other environmental toxins while supporting a cleaner, safer food supply.” says Ring.