The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned the use of Red No. 3 dye in food, beverages, and medications, more than 30 years after scientists discovered links to cancer in animals, the agency announced Wednesday. A synthetic color additive made from petroleum and chemically known as erythrosine, Red No. 3 is used to give food and beverages a bright cherry-red color.

The move follows a November 2022 petition filed by multiple advocacy organizations and individuals, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Environmental Working Group, which cited links to cancer. The federal agency’s decision also follows California, whose government banned the additive in October 2023. Manufacturers using Red No. 3 in food and drugs have until January 15, 2027, and January 18, 2028, respectively, to reformulate their products, according to the FDA.

Foods imported into the United States must also comply with the requirements. Red No. 3 is found in some candies, foods, and beverages. Miguel Sotomayor/Moment RF/Getty Images/File. “Today’s FDA action is long overdue, a small step in the right direction, and hopefully signals a renewed effort by the FDA to do its job despite the many barriers the food industry puts in its way,” said Dr. Jerold Mande, assistant professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in an email.

The decision marks a “monumental victory” for consumer health and safety, said Ken Cook, co-founder and president of the Environmental Working Group, in a statement. “We wouldn’t be celebrating this historic decision today without the tireless leadership of public health champions like Michael Jacobson and others who began this fight decades ago on behalf of consumers.” Red No. 3 is found in at least dozens of candy, food, and beverage products, but some of the most popular brands have never used it or have already stopped using the additive. Less than 10% of the products made by the candy company Ferrara, which produces Brach’s candies, for example, contain the additive, as the company began phasing it out in early 2023, according to a Ferrara spokesperson.

Just Born, the company behind Peeps, stopped using Red No. 3 in its production after Easter 2024, according to a spokesperson.

Some companies, however, use Red No. 40, which has been considered a healthier alternative since it hasn't been as widely linked to cancer in animals. Nevertheless, California also banned Red No. 40 in food and beverages sold in public schools in September due to concerns about its connection to behavioral and attention problems in children. One study found a possible link to accelerated growth of immune system tumors in mice, and other sources say the dye contains benzene, a known carcinogen. Source: CNN