The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the use of Red 3, a synthetic dye found in some candies, snack cakes, and maraschino cherries, due to potential cancer risks. The ban is effective as of January 2027 for food manufacturers and January 2028 for makers of ingested drugs.
The FDA cited studies showing that Red 3 caused cancer in lab rats, prompting the agency to revoke authorization under the Delaney Clause, a law requiring FDA to ban additives found to cause cancer in people or animals. Consumer advocates praised the decision, saying it was “welcome and long overdue.”
However, some food manufacturers may challenge the ban if evidence does not support that the dye causes cancer when consumed by humans. The FDA Commissioner previously suggested that such challenges could lead to legal battles.
The US is one of several countries, including Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, that has banned Red 3 for use in foods except in certain cases like cherries. Food manufacturers have already begun reformulating products to remove the dye, using alternatives such as beet juice and carmine.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/fda-red-dye-no-3-ban-94c3e418584fb1e91ca3b0cbeb3d5a60