• The FDA has officially banned Red Dye No. 3 from food and ingestible products due to researched cancer risks.
• Food manufacturers must comply by January 2027, while drug manufacturers have until January 2028 to remove the dye.
• Consumer advocates have long criticized the use of Red 3, arguing for its removal for years.
• Alternatives like beet juice and natural colorings are already being adopted in regions where the dye is banned.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken a historic step by banning the use of Red Dye No. 3, also known as erythrosine, from food and ingestible products, citing potential cancer risks identified in laboratory studies involving rats. This decision comes nearly 35 years after the dye was banned from cosmetics due to similar concerns. A petition from consumer advocacy groups in 2022 prompted this change, highlighting enduring worries about animal carcinogenicity, particularly thyroid cancer observed in male lab rats exposed to high doses of the dye.

According to the FDA, manufacturers have until January 15, 2027, to eliminate Red Dye No. 3 from food items, while drug manufacturers will have until January 18, 2028. The decision aligns with existing bans on Red 3 in various countries, including those in the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand, and makes it clear that all imported foods into the U.S. must now comply with the new regulations.

Prominent health advocates, including Dr. Peter Lurie from the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, support the ban. "This is a welcome, but long overdue, action by the FDA,” he stated, emphasizing that such regulations were vital for public health, especially for children who are disproportionately affected by additives in foods.

While some manufacturers had already phased out the use of Red 3 in favor of natural alternatives—such as beet juice, carmine, or pigments from fruits and vegetables—many products still contain the dye. Common items still using Red 3 include various candies, baked goods, and some medications. Consumer reports indicate that some of the substitutes already in use are as effective and often better for health.

Despite these advancements, the FDA has stated that the specific mechanism for carcinogenicity in male rats does not directly translate to risks for human consumers, as noted by various experts. Nevertheless, the insistence that certain additives cause adverse health effects, including links to behaviors in children, continues to prompt calls for regulation beyond Red 3, aiming for potential bans on other artificial dyes as well. The advocacy groups hope this will not be a isolated step, but rather part of a comprehensive approach to food safety that scrutinizes additives more closely in the future.

The legislature's decisive action against Red Dye No. 3 suggests a shift towards a more health-conscious regulatory framework for food safety in the U.S., highlighting a growing trend where consumers demand more transparency and safety from food manufacturers.

For further details, you can visit the original articles on SCMP, Al Jazeera, TIME, and The New York Times.