In the wake of the Food and Drug Administration banning Red Dye No. 3 from foods, dietary supplements and oral medications, many people are wondering: What products contain Red 3?
The Red 3 ban will not go into effect until early 2027 for food and early 2028 for drugs, according to the FDA. So it's good to check the ingredient lists for the dye until then, experts say.
Research shows Red No. 3, which is used to give products a bright red hue, can cause cancer in animals, NBC News reported. Many food safety advocates have been concerned for decades about the substance's presence in the U.S. food system.
“We’re thrilled that the FDA has finally taken action to remove this unneeded color additive for the market and in so doing has followed the clear dictates of the law," Dr. Peter Lurie, president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), tells TODAY.com.
“In the absence of lobbying by the industry, I think we would all expect this product to have been banned decades ago,” he adds.
In a statement about the ban, the International Association of Color Manufacturers told NBC News that it "remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the highest safety standards. ... Our members will continue to comply with FDA regulations."
Did the FDA ban Red Dye 3?
Yes. The FDA said it is banning the use of Red Dye No. 3 due to evidence that the synthetic color additive can cause cancer in animals. But the additive will still be present in some foods sold in the U.S. in until early 2027 and in some drugs until early 2028.
The agency says that under a clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), the FDA is not allowed to authorize any color additive "if it has been found to induce cancer in humans or animals."
Jim Jones, the agency’s deputy director for human foods, said there is "evidence" of "cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red Dye No. 3" in a statement to NBC News.
Red Dye No. 3 has not been linked to cancer in people, but Lurie says that's likely because it is difficult to study whether substances like food additives cause cancer in humans for a "variety of technical reasons."
For example, it's unethical to give human participants a substance that may cause cancer for a double-blinded study, and studying rates of cancer in the population consuming Red 3 is challenging because so many people consume it, usually in unknown quantities.
There are also concerns around Red Dye No. 3 and children after some research has found links between artificial dyes, including Red 3, and hyperactivity in some kids. However, in 2011, the FDA investigated the possible connection but found no causal relationship.
The national ban comes after California outlawed the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food in 2023. Ten other states, including Washington, South Dakota, Illinois and Missouri, also introduced legislation in recent years to restrict the use of Red Dye No. 3, according to CSPI.
What is Red Dye No. 3?
Red Dye No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is a synthetic food dye that gives foods and drinks a bright red color. It is also sometimes used in oral medicines and dietary supplements. It first was approved for use in food in 1907. It's made from petroleum.
The FDA has approved 36 color additives for use in the U.S.; nine are synthetic dyes.
On food labels, the substance is listed as “FD&C Red No. 3,” “FD&C Red 3” or “Red 3," according to the FDA.
In 1990, the FDA banned the use of Red 3 in cosmetics and topical drugs after a study linked the additive to tumors in male lab rats exposed to high doses.
Lurie called the banning of Red 3 in cosmetics but not food three and a half decades ago a "regulatory paradox," pointing out that it was "illegal for use in lipstick, but perfectly legal to feed to children in the form of candy."
"The primary purpose of food dyes is to make candy, drinks, and other processed foods more attractive. When the function is purely aesthetic, why accept any cancer risk?" he said in a statement.
Many other countries, including Japan, Australia and countries in the European Union, have either already banned or restricted the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food, according to NBC News.
"Red 3, like all food dyes, offers no benefits to consumers," Thomas Galligan, Ph.D., CSPI's principal scientist for food additives and supplements, said on TODAY segment aired Jan. 16.
What foods use Red Dye No. 3?
While some food manufacturers have already stopped using Red 3 and other artificial dyes in their products, thousands of foods contain Red Dye No. 3, according to CSPI.
"A search of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’sBranded Foods Database at FoodData Centralidentified 9,201 US food products that contain Red 3 — including hundreds of products made by the country’s biggest food companies," the CSPI notes.
Here is a list of some common foods that may contain Red 3 — per Lurie, the FDA, the CSPI and Amanda Beaver, a dietitian atHouston Methodist hospital.
- Candy, especially seasonal candies, such as candy corn and dyed marshmallows
- Cakes and cupcakes
- Frozen desserts, such as ice pops and ice creams with strawberry flavoring
- Frostings
- Maraschino cherries
- Fruit cocktails
- Colored beverages
- Protein shakes
- Vegetarian meats
- Bacon bits
- Sausages
- Strawberry milk
- Puddings
However, it is important to note that not every item that falls into one of the above categories will contain Red 3. That's why Lurie urges consumers to read food labels before making a purchase.
Red 3 is legally required to be on food labels if present and will be listed as:
- FD&C Red No. 3
- FD&C Red 3
- Red 3
Products that contain Red Dye 3
In addition to foods, the main products that contain Red 3 are oral medications and dietary supplements, Lurie says. Red 3 was also previously found in cosmetics and drugs that go on skin, but it was banned from being used in these products in 1990.
According to Drugs.com, some of the oral medicines that may contain Red 3 include:
- Acetaminophen, a pain reliever
- Fluoxetine, an antidepressant
- Gabapentin, an anticonvulsant
- Andomeprazole, which treats heartburn
“Practically everybody is consuming Red 3 some of the time," Lurie says. "They don’t really know it, and they don’t know in what quantities they’re consuming it."