The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could move to ban artificial red food coloring from food and beverages “in the coming weeks,” according to a report.
Jim Jones, the FDA's deputy commissioner for human food, explained during Thursday's Senate meeting that the agency will decide whether to ban Red No. 3. petition Submitted by NBC News reported.
Red No. 3 is described as a “color additive made from petroleum that gives foods and beverages a bright cherry red color.” According to F.D.A.
“Regarding Red 3, we have a petition in front of us asking for the board's revocation and we hope to be able to act on that petition in the coming weeks,” Jones said.
In October 2023, California became the first state to ban Red No. 3, brominated vegetable oils, potassium bromate, and propylparaben from food and beverages. According to NPR.
NPR pointed out the use of Red N0 while the FDA previously “banned the use of red dye 3 in cosmetics in 1990 after it was shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.” 3 in food and beverages is not prohibited by the government.
The Food and Drug Administration banned the use of red dye 3 in cosmetics in 1990 after evidence showed that red dye 3 caused cancer in laboratory animals. However, the government has not banned its use in food, and it is an ingredient in candies such as Brach's candy corn and Pez. Brominated vegetable oils and potassium bromate are also known to have harmful effects on the respiratory and nervous systems, and propylparaben can have negative effects on reproductive health.
According to the FDA, there are “nine recognized color additives.” approved To be used in food. Food dyes include: FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Blue No. 2, FD&C Green No. 3, Orange B, Citrus Red No. 2, FD&C Red No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 3, FD&C Yellow No. 6.
in press release On December 5th, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, asked the FDA to restrict the use of Red No. 3 in FDA-regulated products. “We urge you to take immediate action to stop it.” ”
Pallone's press release states that Red No. 3 is “chemically known as erythrosin,” which is “a known animal carcinogen and has been shown to affect the lifelong health of children.” ” is stated.
“This chemical is in our food for no other reason than to lure and mislead consumers by changing the color of the food to make it look more appealing,” Pallone said in a statement. “We're in the middle of the holiday season, full of sweet treats, but it's scary that this chemical remains hidden in the food we and our children eat.”
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was selected by President-elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to root out corruption in government agencies and make America healthy again.
