Ban on cancer-linked red food dye shows power of regulators who follow the science
That bright red cherry on top of your ice cream sundae? The pink frosting on your kid’s birthday cake? For decades, these have been made in the U.S. with an artificial dye that’s linked to cancer.
But that’s about to change.
During the last days of the Biden administration, on January 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a ban on FD&C Red No. 3, a synthetic dye that adds a bright red hue to a variety of foods and ingested drugs. The move came after decades of concern over the dye's safety particularly around its potential link to thyroid cancer.
Red No. 3, also known as erythrosine, has been a common additive in candies, baked goods and certain medications since it was approved for use in foods in 1907. Its vivid color made it a staple in products appealing to children, such as lollipops, fruit cocktails and frostings. And yet, studies dating back to the 1980s raised concerns about its safety. Research indicated that Red No. 3 induced cancer in male rats, leading to its ban in cosmetics and topical drugs in 1990.
Despite these findings, the dye remained in food and other edible products, a point of contention among health and consumer-safety advocates.
“Banning Red Dye No. 3 in food is a long-awaited action that will reduce health harms from our overexposure to toxic chemicals,” says Maria Doa, who directs chemicals policy for Environmental Defense Fund. “These types of cancer-causing chemicals have no place in our food.”
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A three-decade fight
EDF and allies have been fighting to get Red No. 3 out of food and drugs since 1990.
The FDA’s action aligns the United States with other countries and regions that have already restricted or banned Red No. 3 — the European Union, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand have all imposed limitations on the dye, citing health concerns.
Food manufacturers have until 2027 to find suitable replacements and reformulate their products, and drug manufacturers have until 2028. The phased approach is designed to address public health concerns while giving companies time to reconfigure their recipes.
The issue of carcinogenic chemicals in food extends beyond synthetic dyes. Environmental Defense Fund has also petitioned the FDA to ban methylene chloride, a chemical linked to liver cancer that is widely used to produce decaffeinated coffee.
Using the same argument that resulted in Red No. 3 being banned, Doa and other critics contend that by allowing methylene chloride in food, the FDA has been disregarding its legal mandate to remove carcinogenic substances.
“These chemicals categorically cannot and should not be deemed as safe,” Doa stated. “We urge the FDA to finalize EDF’s petition to remove all carcinogenic solvents from our food supply completely.”
In coming years, consumers can expect to see the gradual disappearance of Red No. 3 from ingredient lists, marking the end of an era for this once-ubiquitous dye. (To avoid Red No. 3 in the meantime, a list of products containing the dye can be found here.)
Will other synthetic dyes and chemicals also be on the FDA’s chopping block? That remains to be seen.
But, according to Doa, the FDA should not stop with Red No. 3. “We will continue the fight to have the FDA prohibit the addition of any carcinogens to our food,” Doa says.
Hope for a warming planet
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