The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could soon ban a controversial synthetic food dye made from petroleum that is banned in other countries.
The FDA may be gearing up to restrict red dye No. 3, commonly used in thousands of products sold in the United States, such as candies and beverages. Last week, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, Jim Jones, told a U.S. Senate hearing that more than a decade has passed since regulators assessed the additive’s safety.
“With red 3, we have a petition in front of us to revoke the authorization board, and we’re hopeful that in the next few weeks, we’ll be acting on that petition,” Jones told a health committee, per USA Today.
Despite the additive being previously deemed safe to consume by the FDA, red dye No. 3 has long been associated with negative health issues, including cancer and behavioral problems in children. However, the FDA did ban the use of the substance in cosmetic products in 1990 after research showed it caused lab animals to develop thyroid cancer when used in high amounts.
Another form of red dye has also been shown to possess harmful qualities.
In 2022, researchers in Canada found that red dye 40, also known as red No.40, Allura Red AC, or red 40, can drive inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in some individuals.
The New York Times was mocked on social media last month over its so-called “fact check” on a product that included red dye 40. President-elect Donald Trump’s Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., questioned why the Canadian version of Froot Loops cereal contained fewer artificial ingredients.
The NYT shot back, ironically claiming both versions use “roughly the same” ingredients, “although Canada’s has natural colorings made from blueberries and carrots while the U.S. product contains red dye 40, yellow 5 and blue 1 as well as Butylated hydroxytoluene, or BHT, a lab-made chemical that is used ‘for freshness,’ according to the ingredient label,” essentially supporting RFK’s position.
Last year, The Dallas Express reported that California became the first state to ban four potentially harmful food additives, including red dye No. 3.