Nearly a half-century ago, “CBS Evening News” anchor Walter Cronkite, known as “the most trusted man in America,” gave viewers a new reason to trust the power of activism.
In January 1976 Cronkite reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had moved to ban Red Dye No. 2, a synthetic color widely used in candy, soft drinks and cosmetics. It was a watershed for consumer health, with the agency responding to public outcry in the wake of several studies showing its potential to cause cancer in laboratory animals.
History repeats itself, as we know, and so it did this past January 15, when the FDA 1 banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food, beverages and oral medications, having prohibited it in cosmetics back in 1990. Red Dye No. 3, like its predecessor, is an artificial color made from petroleum that renders a bright, cherry-red hue in candies, cakes, cookies, frostings and certain ingested drugs.
The FDA’s recent decision was again catalyzed by activism, responding to a 2022 petition from a coalition of entities including the Center for Food Safety, the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Environmental Defense Fund, which hailed the ban as a new historic win for public safety. A 2012 report 2 which found a link between the additive and cancer in animals, bolstered by more recent studies, steadily created a tidal wave of momentum.
The European Union, leaps and bounds ahead of the U.S. in food safety, banned Red Dye No. 3 back in 1990, with the exception of some maraschino cherry products. California took the step of prohibiting it in October 2023, with ten other states introducing similar legislation. Toward the pursuit of safer ingredients, some manufacturers have been using Red Dye No. 40, yet the Golden State also recently banned that from foods and drinks sold in public schools in light of concerns over a possible link to behavioral and attention difficulties in children.
The FDA has a long history of outlawing harmful substances. In addition to bans on other food additives like the sweetener cyclamate (1969), some of its most prominent restrictions over the years, due to health hazards, environmental concerns or both, include:
- 1960: Thalidomide, a treatment for morning sickness, anxiety and insomnia in pregnant women (banned from entering the U.S. market)
- 1972: DDT, a widely used pesticide
- 1973: Mercury in skin-lightening creams and antiseptics
- 1978: CFCs in aerosol products like deodorants and hairsprays
- 1987: The interstate sale of unpasteurized raw milk due to the risk of E. coli and listeria
- 1997: Fen-Phen (Fenfluramine and Dexfenfluramine), a popular weight-loss drug combo
- 2020: The restricted sale of most flavored e-cigarettes and vaping products, particularly those flavored with fruit, candy and dessert-like flavors
Early response from the food industry to the new FDA ban has been supportive. In a statement, the National Confectioners Association called food safety “the number one priority for U.S. confectionery companies” and pledged to “continue to follow and comply with FDA’s guidance and safety standards.” 3 Whether the ban will actually motivate manufacturers to embrace natural alternatives (for red dye this includes healthier choices such as beet powder and hibiscus extract) remains to be seen.
From scientific studies to health advocates to public awareness, it’s clear that the long march toward clean ingredients must continue. The industry’s willingness to do the right thing and place health above sales should be praised – and verified – as we move forward together. Let’s see who takes action sooner than later. Food and drug manufacturers have until January 15, 2027 or January 18, 2028, respectively, to kick Red Dye No. 3 to the curb.
Key Takeaways
- On January 15, the FDA banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food, beverages and oral medications.
- The FDA responded to a petition from a coalition of organizations which cited studies showing a link between the additive and cancer in laboratory animals.
- Red Dye No. 3, an artificial additive made from petroleum that renders a bright, cherry-red color, is primarily used in candy, cakes, cookies, frostings and certain ingested drugs.
References
- FDA to Revoke Authorization for the Use of Red No. 3 in Food and Ingested Drugs. FDA website. https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-revoke-authorization-use-red-no-3-food-and-ingested-drugs?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery January 15, 2025
- Toxicology of Food Dyes. National Library of Medicine website. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23026007/ July-September 2012
- NCA Statement on Red Dye 3. National Confectioners Association website. https://candyusa.com/news/nca-statement-on-red-dye-3/ January 15, 2015