In a significant public health decision, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a ban on Red Dye No 3, a synthetic food coloring linked to cancer in animals. This decision, made on January 15, 2025, follows a petition from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) submitted in November 2022 [8bc5531b]. The ban will affect nearly 3,000 food products, requiring manufacturers to reformulate their offerings by either January 15, 2027, or January 18, 2028 [8bc5531b]. Previously, Red Dye No 3 was banned in cosmetics in 1990 due to its association with thyroid cancer in male rats, highlighting a long-standing concern about its safety [8bc5531b].
The decision to ban Red Dye No 3 comes as part of a broader trend in the U.S. to address harmful food additives, a movement that has gained momentum in recent years. The European Union had already banned the dye in 1994, prompting criticism of the U.S. for its slower response [8bc5531b]. CSPI has described the FDA's action as long overdue and has called for further scrutiny of other potentially harmful food chemicals [8bc5531b].
This recent ban aligns with other regulatory actions aimed at protecting public health, such as the EPA's recent decision to prohibit the use of trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE), both of which are known carcinogens [95abcab7]. As the FDA and EPA take steps to eliminate hazardous substances from consumer products, the focus on food safety and chemical regulation continues to grow, reflecting increasing public demand for safer food options and transparency in food labeling [95abcab7][8bc5531b].