By Molly Goddard
11:52am PST, Jan 21, 2025
The Food and Drug Administration is finally banning Red Dye No. 3.
The outlawing of the substance will not go into effect until early 2027 for food and early 2028 for medication. In the meantime, people should look for the specific ingredient on the back of products to ensure it's not included.
Join us to better understand why Red Dye No. 3 is being banned…
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The outlawing of the substance will not go into effect until early 2027 for food and early 2028 for medication. In the meantime, people should look for the specific ingredient on the back of products to ensure it's not included.
Join us to better understand why Red Dye No. 3 is being banned…
MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more fun celebrity & entertainment photo galleries and content
The substance is used to put a bright red hue in certain foods and medicines, but according to NBC News, it's been found to cause cancer in animals.
"We're thrilled that the FDA has finally taken action to remove this unneeded color additive for the market and in so doing has followed the clear dictates of the law," president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Dr. Peter Lurie told Today.
"We're thrilled that the FDA has finally taken action to remove this unneeded color additive for the market and in so doing has followed the clear dictates of the law," president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Dr. Peter Lurie told Today.
"In the absence of lobbying by the industry, I think we would all expect this product to have been banned decades ago," he emphasized.
The International Association of Color Manufacturers said in a statement that they remain "steadfast in its commitment to upholding the highest safety standards. Our members will continue to comply with FDA regulations."
The International Association of Color Manufacturers said in a statement that they remain "steadfast in its commitment to upholding the highest safety standards. Our members will continue to comply with FDA regulations."
So, what products contain Red Dye No. 3? According to The Center for Science in the Public Interest, items such as candy, cakes, cupcakes, frosting, Maraschino cherries, colored beverages and even protein shakes are often contaminated.
While many companies have already put the halt on using the dye, thousands of items still contain the risky substance. "A search of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Branded Foods Database at FoodData Central identified 9,201 US food products that contain Red 3 — including hundreds of products made by the country's biggest food companies," CSPI said in a statement.
By law, every product containing Red Dye No. 3 must be listed as FD&C Red No. 3, FD&C Red 3 or Red 3 on the label.
Shockingly, the red coloring can also be found in items such as vegetarian meats, sausages and bacon bits.
Shockingly, the red coloring can also be found in items such as vegetarian meats, sausages and bacon bits.
The public should also be cautious over what they reach for in their medicine cabinets. Red Dye No. 3 is often put into Acetaminophen (a pain reliever), Fluoxetine (an antidepressant), Gabapentin (an anticonvulsant) and Ndomeprazole (a heartburn aid).
"Practically everybody is consuming Red 3 some of the time," Lurie noted. "They don't really know it, and they don't know in what quantities they're consuming it."
"Practically everybody is consuming Red 3 some of the time," Lurie noted. "They don't really know it, and they don't know in what quantities they're consuming it."
In 1990, Red Dye No. 3 was banned from being used in skincare and makeup products. However, it took decades later to extract from foods. Lurie called it a "regulatory paradox" that it was "illegal for use in lipstick, but perfectly legal to feed to children in the form of candy."
"The primary purpose of food dyes is to make candy, drinks, and other processed foods more attractive. When the function is purely aesthetic, why accept any cancer risk?" he noted.
"The primary purpose of food dyes is to make candy, drinks, and other processed foods more attractive. When the function is purely aesthetic, why accept any cancer risk?" he noted.