OAN Staff James Myers
8:18am – Wednesday, January 15, 2025
The FDA issued an order Wednesday prohibiting approval of Red 3 for food and ingestible drugs.
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The dye was approved for use in 1907, but has been banned in cosmetics and topical medicines since 1990 due to concerns about its possible carcinogenicity. The dye's use in food is already banned in Australia, Japan and European Union countries.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of health, has been a strong advocate of removing dyes from food.
Red 3 is known to be found in candy, cookies, and gum.
Meanwhile, food manufacturers have a deadline of January 15, 2027 to remove the substance from all products, and manufacturers of ingestible drugs have a deadline of January 18, 2028.
The ban is based on the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1960. Additionally, the Delaney Provision prohibits the FDA from approving food or color additives found to cause cancer.
“FDA cannot approve food additives or colorings if they are found to cause cancer in humans or animals,” said Jim Jones, FDA's deputy commissioner for food. NBC. “Evidence shows cancer present in male laboratory rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No. 3.”
This latest move also stems from a petition from the Center for Science in the Public Interest and 23 other organizations, including a study that found male lab rats exposed to high levels of Red No. 3 developed cancer. Contains data showing that
The FDA said that “available data do not raise safety concerns for humans,” noting that studies in humans and other animals have not shown similar effects.
The agency also said Red No. 3 is used under a different name, erythrosine, in Canada and Europe.
Concerns have grown in recent years about the dye, which has been banned from cosmetics and topical medicines for almost 35 years.
“The widespread use of red dye No. 3 is particularly concerning as it is found in many products marketed to children who are at risk of developing health problems from exposure.” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports. statement.
The federal ban also comes more than a year after the California Food Safety Act banned Red No. 3 and three other food additives in the state. That particular law won't go into effect until 2027.
Other states have introduced bills discussing possible bans, including New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Illinois and South Dakota.
Several food brands have already taken steps to remove it.
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