The Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that it would revoke authorization of Red Dye No. 3 in food and ingested drugs, following pressure from a 2022 color additive petition.
The synthetic dye, also known as erythrosine, is used to give products a very bright color. The 2022 petition cited concerns about the toxicity and carcinogenicity of the red dye in animal studies. While the FDA did not find similar reactions in humans, it moved to classify the dye as unsafe for consumption.
Red Dye No. 3 is used in varied food products and candies, including Pez, some red icing, and strawberry-flavored milk. The FDA’s decision hinges on a portion of the 1938 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act known as the Delaney Clause, which prevents the FDA from authorizing a food or color additive if it has been found to cause cancer in either humans or animals.
