Earlier this week, the US Food and Drug Administration He revoked the permit for red dye No. 3which is used in various foods and medicines. This artificial dye, which is made from petroleum and was found to cause cancer in rats, was removed in 2022 at the request of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and other advocacy groups.
The cherry-red coloring agent is found in candies, maraschino cherries, and in medicines such as strawberry-flavored milk drinks and cough syrups. Manufacturers of food and ingested drugs have until January 15, 2027 and January 18, 2028, respectively, to remove the dye from their products.
Food safety activists have long called for the removal of Red No. 3, citing concerns about its potential carcinogenicity in humans, as well as some evidence that similar dyes can cause behavioral problems in children, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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American scientific spoke to experts about why this red dye is banned, how much exposure can be harmful, and how it compares to other food dyes.
Which red dye is banned?
Its official name is Red No. it’s 3
What foods or medicines contain them?
It is found in candies, fruit juices, snacks, maraschino cherries and strawberry-flavored milk. It is also found in some medications, such as cough syrups.
Why was it banned?
Male rats developed thyroid tumors after being exposed to high levels of the dye in laboratory studies. But according to the FDA, the rats developed the cancer through a hormonal mechanism that does not occur in humans, and studies in humans and other animals have not shown similar effects. However, it was removed under the dye The Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which prohibits FDA approval of a food or color additive that has been found to cause cancer in humans. or the animals
Other artificial dyes, Red No. Including another red dye called 40, they are concerned. can cause hyperactivity in children
Why did it take so long for the US to ban this compound in food?
The FDA has banned Red No. since 1990. 3 use in cosmetics and topical medications. The European Union banned the dye in food (except cocktail cherries) in 1994 and in 2023. California banned it as well
“The FDA has a very broad mandate, and they’ve focused primarily on drugs. In the food space, they focused on food safety, infectious diseases ((Escherichia coli infection),” he says Sheela Sathyanarayanaprofessor of pediatrics and adjunct professor of environmental and occupational health sciences at the University of Washington and the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, but “where there has been a hole or gap is in food safety related to additives and environmental exposures and contaminants.”
The FDA, under the Biden administration, recently created office of chemical food safety. “I am hopeful that, with the opening of this new office, they will be able to more comprehensively assess various exposures, from food additives to pollutants,” says Sathyanarayana.
Red 3 is also found in some cough medicines.
Food Drink and Diet/Mark Sykes/Alamy Stock Photo
How much of that red dye do you have to consume for it to be harmful?
Important studies exposed rats to doses of dyes that were much higher than what a human would normally consume. It is very difficult to conduct toxic dose studies in humans because it is unethical to conduct randomized controlled trials in which people are fed food with certain additives. Most human research on food ingredients is epidemiological: it involves asking people to recall what foods they ate and in what amounts, which is not well known.
According to the doctor Melinda RingDirector of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the Red No. Allowable intake for 3 days The maximum is 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. “For perspective, this is approximately 12 red gummies for a child and 36 for an adult based on typical concentrations,” Ring wrote in an email. American scientific. “However, research indicates that cumulative exposure to toxins can have additive effects, and it is safer to avoid synthetic dyes altogether than to consume an ‘acceptable’ amount.”
Do other artificial food colorings also pose health risks?
Red 3 may be one of the most well-studied dyes, but others, such as Red 40, have also been linked to health problems. Some studies have linked red dyes increased risk of behavioral disorders such as ADHD.
Red No. 3 is banned, it will be interesting to see if the FDA bans some of these other dyes, says Tracy Crane, associate professor of medical oncology and director of lifestyle medicine, prevention and digital health. Miller School of Medicine in Miami.
Should you avoid eating anything with artificial coloring?
In general, it is best to avoid large amounts of foods or medicines that contain artificial dyes. “I always tell people (to consume) in moderation,” Crane says. “What I tell people is, ‘It’s always best not to put artificial substances in your body. If something isn’t made that color by nature, it’s probably synthetic.'”However, there are safer natural alternatives, such as dyes made from beets, carrots or insects. .
One problem with foods containing artificial dyes is that they often try to target children by using bright, happy colors. “We have to change expectations of what food looks like,” says Crane.
And it’s not just artificial coloring that can be harmful; Many foods with these dyes are also high in sugar. “From a cancer prevention perspective, consumption of less than 10 percent of calories from added sugar is recommended,” he wrote. Hannah Manellaregistered dietitian at Northwestern Medicine, in an emailed statement American scientific.
There are also many of these foods ultra processedand some studies have linked foods in this category various diseases or health problems. “Choosing whole, unprocessed foods or reading ingredient labels carefully can help reduce consumers’ exposure to synthetic dyes and other environmental toxins while supporting a cleaner, safer food supply,” says Ring.
