Since 2022, the Food and Drug Administration has been reviewing a petition to ban food dye, Red No. 3. Now, a decision could come soon.
The petroleum-based dye has been used for more than 50 years in thousands of products including candy, snack foods, and soda. Questions about the dye’s potential health effects go back decades.
The FDA banned the use of the Red No. 3 in cosmetics and medicated ointments and lotions back in 1990. Research showed the dye could cause cancer in animals in high doses. But the agency concluded it was safe in the amounts used in food.
The agency says it has evaluated the safety of Red No. 3 “multiple times” since its original approval for use in food in 1969.
Lawmakers in 11 states have introduced legislation to ban Red No. 3 in foods. North Carolina currently has no legislation seeking the ban of Red No. 3. [source]