See red? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration formally bans the use of prevalent food coloring related to thyroid cancer. Although the decision marks the beginning of the end point of the additive, manufacturers still have a grace period of several years to separate it from the product.
Here is all information about foods currently using synthetic red dyes.
What is Red Number 3?
Red 3 – also known as FD&C Red 3, Red Blood Cell or Red 3 – is a synthetic dye made of petroleum and adds a “bright, cherry-red color” to the products it adds.
In 1990, the FDA banned Red 3 in cosmetics, but there was no law to prohibit synthetic dyes from being added to multiple types of food and beverages in the coming decades.
The FDA calls the Delaney clause the reasoning of the ban, which “bans the FDA from authorizing food additives or color additives that can induce cancer in humans or animals if found.”
Although the study does show a link between cancer in laboratory rats, no link between human dyes and cancer has been found.
“While some studies have noted carcinogenicity in male rats, the FDA is announcing its announcement that the hormone mechanisms that dyes cause cancer in rats are specific to animals and do not occur in humans,” Bryan Hitchcock, chief science and technology officer of the food technician, told CNET.
Hitchcock added that the studies used a lot of dye, which is more than the average person consumed when eating foods containing it.
“Studying the No. 3 human safety test has been in much higher than average consumption, as various global regulators have pointed out,” he said. “The study cited by the FDA states that the maximum daily consumption of rats is about 200 times.”
9 foods containing red number 3
- Certain Maraschino cherries
- Certain processed meat and meat alternatives
Red 3 has been previously banned in other countries, including Australia.
The specific items currently have red number 3 in their ingredient list are:
- Various types of Brach's candy, including classic jelly beans, spiced jelly beans and Dialogue Heart
- Morningstar Farm plant-based bacon strips
- Good humorous strawberry shortbread frozen dessert sticks
- PEZ Candy
According to the list compiled by Drugs.com, some of these drugs with Red 3 include:
- Acetaminophen
- Doxycycline monohydrate
- Gabapentin
- Vyvanse
The Environmental Working Group has prepared a searchable database of foods using now-banned dyes. As of February 5, 2025, the website has collected 3,092 products, using Red No. 3 as an ingredient.
When does the company need to remove No. 3 red from the product?
Despite the ban, don't expect to see the red 3 ingredients disappear from the ingredients list. According to the FDA, companies must remove it from their products by 2027 or 2028.
“Manufacturers using FD&C Red 3 in food and intake drugs will have to redevelop their products by January 15, 2027 or January 18, 2028,” the FDA statement reads.
What will replace the number 3 red?
Red dye No. 3 will soon be replaced by food coloring made from beets and other natural ingredients.
Givaudan Sense Color, a manufacturing company that makes natural food and beverage coloring, highlights three possible alternatives to Red No. 3 – actually made from bugs; Betacyanins found in beetroots; and anthocyanins, derived from fruits and vegetables.
California Congressman Jesse Gabriel told NBC News that while synthetic dyes can be cheaper than other alternatives, he does not think the Red 3 ban will lead to price changes for affected products.
“We don't expect any food to go up,” he told The Outlet.
As for alternative synthetic dyes, the Red 40, which the FDA does not prohibit, can also help achieve bright red colors, so it is also an alternative that manufacturers can choose.
Is other chemical foods safe to color?
After the Red 3 ban, eight color additives are now approved by the FDA. They are FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Blue 2, FD&C Green 3, Orange B, Citrus Red No. 2, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5 and FD&C Yellow No. 6.
Hitchcock said so far, studies have shown that there is no obvious risk of consuming these dyes.
“Although science tells us that there is little risk in eating other synthetic dyes, it is important that we continue to monitor and evaluate the safety of food ingredients,” he said. “It is crucial that we continue to invest in health research on food health to ensure safety and provide consumers with peace of mind.”
According to the FDA, the above dyes do not bring the same risk as the possible risk of red No. 3, which is why they are still available in the United States. However, some studies have shown that there may be a link between certain dyes and underlying health conditions. For example, according to data from the Cleveland Clinic, some studies link red 40 to ADHD, but further studies are still needed to determine the direct link between the dye and the condition.
When asked about the safety of other food dyes, Hitchcock highlighted the need for FDA transparency, which he said the agency has been addressing.
“We believe there needs to be a clear framework for market addition safety,” Hitchcock said. “The FDA is actively working to address this problem, as they develop a systematic process for enhanced post-market assessment of chemical substances in foods. IFT believes that the FDA needs to propose post-market chemical food safety assessments that are transparent, rooted, scientific, scientific, framing and timely, framing and timely.”
If the drink looks too red rather than natural, it may be.
The bottom line of red number 3
Red 3 has been completely banned in the United States, but it will continue to be used for the next two years as manufacturers work hard to change their recipes. However, some manufacturers are changing faster than that.
In an email to CBS News, Dr. Keurig Dr Pepper said the “new recipe” for Yoo-Hoo Strawberry Flavored Drink is currently made with red No. 3 to help achieve its color, “will be on the shelves by the end of the year.”
