FDA Bans Red Dye #3 in Food – Consumer Reports

In a long-awaited move by food safety experts, the Food and Drug Administration announced today that it will ban red dye No. 3 in foods.

The FDA has known for years that this petroleum-based artificial dye has been shown to cause cancer in animals. Several studies have also linked the use of red dye number 3, also called erythrosine, to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral effects in children.

Back in 1990, the FDA banned the use of red dye number 3 in cosmetics after evidence of its potential dangers began to accumulate. However, for complex bureaucratic reasons, the dye continued to be permitted in foods and the food industry continued to claim that it was safe for consumption. Over the years, Red Coloring No. 3 used to lighten the reds and pinks of thousands of foods including candy, baked goods, fruit juices, fruit cocktails, strawberry lattes, sausages, faux bacon and more. A database maintained by the Environmental Working Group currently lists it among the ingredients of more than 3,000 products.

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Loren Kirchner

Lauren Kirchner is an investigative reporter on Consumer Reports' special projects team. He has been working at CR since 2022, where he focuses on product safety. She previously reported on algorithmic bias, criminal justice and housing for Markup and ProPublica and was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting. Send your tips to lauren.kirchner@consumer.org and follow her on Twitter @lkirchner .

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