Thu Jan 16 11:49:54 UTC 2025: **FDA Bans Cancer-Causing Red Dye No. 3 in Food and Medicine**
**Washington, D.C.** – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a ban on FD&C Red No. 3 (erythrosine), a petroleum-based red dye used in food, drinks, and medicine, effective January 15, 2027 for food and January 18, 2028 for drugs. The decision, based on a 2022 petition from consumer advocacy groups and mandated by the Delaney Clause, follows studies showing the dye caused cancer in laboratory rats.
While the FDA clarified that the mechanism by which Red No. 3 caused cancer in rats doesn’t directly translate to humans, the Delaney Clause, which prohibits FDA authorization of any additive shown to cause cancer in humans or animals, necessitates the ban. The dye has already been banned in cosmetics since 1990 and is prohibited in many other countries, although exceptions exist for limited uses in certain maraschino cherries in some regions.
The ban has been met with mixed reactions. The Center for Science in the Public Interest applauded the FDA’s action as a correction of a long-standing regulatory issue. The US National Confectioners Association stated it will comply with the new regulations. Conversely, the International Association of Color Manufacturers questioned the extrapolation of rat studies to human health, highlighting advancements in scientific understanding since previous research.
The timing of the ban coincides with President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the head of the Health and Human Services agency. Kennedy has voiced support for broader bans on food additives and chemicals, including artificial food dyes and seed oils, although his views on the latter have been met with scientific criticism. Manufacturers now have until the specified dates to reformulate their products to remove Red No. 3.
First Piper 