Why Red 3 is still in your candy

Red 3 has been banned for use in cosmetics and topical drugs since 1990. Why is it still in our food?

In 1990, the FDA banned the use of Red No. 3 in topical drugs and cosmetics. Their cited reasoning was that the color additive was “not shown to be safe,” because when fed to rats, Red No. 3 was found to slightly increase the risk of thyroid cancer. Today, that same dye is still found in candy corn, ring pops, Pez, and nearly 3,000 other foods that we eat, which raises the question: If it’s not safe to put on our skin … is it really safe to ingest? Many researchers, advocates, and now state lawmakers say no.

Last year, California passed a bill formally banning Red Dye No. 3 and several other additives from food in the state. The bill gives the food industry until 2027 to remove the additives from their products. The industry is already responding, with companies like Pediasure quickly removing the dye from their shakes.

The question remains, though: Where is the federal ban on Red No. 3 in food if the FDA deemed it unsafe for topical uses over 30 years ago?

For more information from CSPI and their work:

The Environmental Working Group has a great resource that rates food. Here’s a link to everything containing Red No. 3:

The FDA lays out a ton of extensive information on how they approve color additives (and food additives in general). You can find that on their website:

[kyon]

I work on the ingredients industry, there are plenty of natural colors to choose from… for red specifically we have carmine, black carrot extract, beet extract… why companies don’t use it? They are slightly more expensive than artificial dyes

[blackfoxstudioX]

"Red 3 has been banned for food use in the European Union, except in some cherry products, since 1994. It's also banned in Japan, China, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand." - Center for Science in the Public Interest

[hemantkejriwal]

It's just all lobbying. It astounds me how such open lobbying is totally legal in a democracy like USA

[dæmnKris]

People always diss California (often for good reasons), but they've done so much good by enacting smart regulations that end up benefiting the whole country.

[ExtremePotato]

To save you 8 minutes. The FDA just is not doing their job, deliberately.

[SA-vnrb]

Red 3: Too unsafe for lipstick, but tolerable risk for “snack” food 🤮

[FunderDuck]

Dear food and beverage makers: this shouldn’t need saying. I couldn’t care less if my breakfast cereal, fruit punch, or evening snack looks unnaturally red. Just stop trying to sell potentially toxic substances to me and my family!

[christophercooper]

This feels like it should be the basis of a _Last Week Tonight_ with John Oliver.

[ZOCCOK]

I don't think that FDA just sits idle.
It is just that the Lobbying Groups and Sponsors of Politicians have far more power than the FDA.

[twilightgeneral]

Sure would be nice to have an FDA that took its job seriously.

[aaronaustrie]

I just recently did a presentation for my Business class on Kelloggs putting artificial food dyes in its food so I find this vid came at the right time for me🙏🏾

[Jamesssssssssssssss]

Why is X still in X? Money always money.

[MaudLouth]

It is actually NOT lobbying. It's because the FDA is overworked and underfunded. We need to split them into FA and DA

[Ray_of_Light]

You didn't mention the colour E123 - Amaranth FD&C Red n. 2.
FDA banned it in the US in 1976; but E123 is allowed in Europe.
The US ban of Red #2 has always had me puzzled, because it seemed more the work of activists rather than the work of researchers...

[nepp-]

our bodies never evolved to be able to handle all these artificial substances and additives. It makes me feel bad for the people who can't handle them, especially because companies are trying to change the names of artificial ingredients, which makes it harder for the people with allergies to additives to avoid allergic reactions...

[carlsanm]

I’m so glad I live in Europe where these damaging additives are forbidden to use in the food industry.

[_Piers_]

I bought a box of Nerds recently, they're not normally for sale here and were in the imported section.
They are made in the US, but on the front of the box is says "made with natural colours" - just fruit and vegetable extracts.
Nerds sold in the US contain - Carmine Color, Blue 1 Lake, Blue 1, Blue 2 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 5, Yellow 6.

It's good they don't contain Red 3, but instead they contain Carmine (also knows as cochineal) which is made from bugs.
The version I bough contain concentrated watermelon juice, which I assume is the red colour, I know which I'd prefer.


I'd be surprised if the colours used in these made for export version costs then more than a few cents extra, so it's sad they're not prepared to do that for the US market.

[soonlet]

I always thought that American products sometimes tend to look so artificial it would make me NOT consume it so the fact that American people are taught by sheer normalcy that these artificial dyes makes it more appealing is really concerning

[giovannirafael]

This one was a little disappointing. What is Red 3? What in the chemical composition seems to cause issues? What are the results of the studies in data? What is the rate of increased cancer? What were the doses given in the studies? We need to know more to understand the risks better.

[venabre]

A lot of important information was left out of this one. But to me the most glaring one is that the study used to link Red 3 to "behavioral issues" didn't even point to Red 3 specifically. It assessed all dyes. At most they summarized one study in rodents that focused on Red 3, but they also summarized other studies in rodents for other dyes. Their conclusions also speak of all dyes as a whole, never singling Red 3 out. And that is key information, because if their concern truly was "behavioral issues in children" then all dyes should be suspect, not just Red 3.

It is also glaring that they left out critical information regarding the study linking Red 3 to thyroid cancer, as pointed out by plenty of other people.

Overall I don't feel there was enough due diligence with this report.