If the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moves forward with its plan to ban artificial red dyes, a wide range of foods will be affected.
According to the Eat Well Guide (EWG) Food Scores database, approximately 3,000 foods on the U.S. market contain red dyes3, including candy, certain brands of mashed potatoes, yellow rice, and some medications. It will be.
This list also includes a variety of other foods, such as breakfast cereals, beverages, and baked goods.
According to the FDA, this synthetic dye, also known as erythrosin, is an additive made from petroleum that gives foods and drinks their bright cherry red color.
It is already banned in the European Union, and from January 2027 it will also be banned in foods sold or manufactured in California.
However, the FDA is considering a petition filed in FD&C Red No. 3 that argues that the colorant should be banned at the federal level in food and drugs under a rule known as the Delaney Clause. There is. animal.
Jim Jones, the FDA's deputy commissioner for human foods, told the Senate Health Committee last week that the FDA “has a petition before us seeking revocation of the authorization board and will continue to do so in the coming weeks.” I hope that it will be rescinded.” Act on that petition. ”
According to Consumer Reports, the additive has been linked to cancer and thyroid tumors in laboratory animals, as well as hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral effects in children.
In 1990, the FDA even rejected an application to authorize the use of red dye 3 in cosmetics and topical drugs, citing data linking red dye 3 to animal carcinogenicity.
“I don't know the extent of that, but [how bad it is]but it's not good for you. Why use it? The only reason we use it is because it's cheaper and we sell more product,” said Dr. Mark Siegel, professor of clinical medicine at New York University Langone Health and senior medical analyst for FOX News. told Business.
Some companies have already removed this ingredient from their products.
For example, Red Dye 3 was listed as an ingredient in PediaSure Grow & Gain, Strawberry Shake, earlier this year.
Currently, the product page clearly states “no red dye”.
Abbott, which owns the PediaSure brand, told FOX Business it “previously committed to removing Red 3 from all PediaSure products in 2024.”
Foods that may be affected:
PEZ Candy fruit assortment (cherry, strawberry, grape, raspberry, orange, lemon)
PEZ Cotton Candy, Candy Corn, Banana
Double Bubble Original Twist Bubble Gum
Halloween Candy – AMOS Lollipop Finger Ring
gourmet candy corn
Morningstar Farms Veggie Breakfast Original Veggie Bacon Strips
vigo saffron yellow rice
Entenmann's Little Bites Party Cake Mini Muffin
mashed potatoes with betty crocker
fruit by the foot starburst
doll dice fruit cup
