Red dye 3 has been banned in America, what comes next?

The US Food and Drug Administration banned the dye known as Red 3 from the food supply in January, setting deadlines for removing the brightly coloured additive from lollies and cough medicine, bread products and frozen desserts.

In lab rats. A federal law requires the FDA to ban any additive that causes cancer in animals, although officials pointed out that the way Red 3 leads to cancer in rats doesn’t occur in people.

But the dye is just one of several artificial colours commonly found in everyday foods and other products.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recently confirmed as the US Secretary of Health and Human Services, campaigned on a promise to “Make America Healthy Again”, including a focus on artificial dyes and other chemicals in food. His support has been bolstered by “MAHA mums”, women on social media calling for an end to artificial ingredients and ultra-processing in the US food supply, among other concerns.

“Fair dinkum, I was called a conspiracy theorist because I said that red dye caused cancer,” Kennedy said during his confirmation hearing. “Now, the TGA has acknowledged that and banned it.”

What is Red 3 made of?

Synthetic dyes are petroleum-based chemicals that aren’t found in the natural world. They’re commonly used in foods to “boost the visual appeal” of products, as stated by Sensient Food Colors, a supplier of food colours and flavourings based in St. Louis.

Nine dyes, including Red 3, are approved for use in food in the US. The other common food colourings are Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. Two permitted colours are used less often: Citrus Red 2 and Orange B.

The FDA gives its approval for synthetic colourings and oversees their use.

The FDA recently ordered the removal of Red 3, giving manufacturers until January 2027 to take the dye out of their products. Manufacturers of medicines that are swallowed, like cough medicines, have until January 2028 to comply.

Consumer advocates, including the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, had been pushing for a long time to have Red 3 banned from food due to the link to cancer in rats. The dye had been prohibited from being used in cosmetics for decades, but it was still allowed in food and medicines that were taken orally.

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The person who worked on researching dyes and their impact on behaviour now provides guidance to CHADD, a support group for individuals with ADHD.

The Food and Drug Administration says it has checked out and looked into the effects of colour additives on kids’ behaviour. It says its scientists reckon most kids don’t get any bad effects when they eat them, but it admits some kids might be sensitive to them.

About two-thirds of Americans are in favour of limiting or rewording processed foods to remove ingredients like added sugar or colours, according to a recent AP-NORC poll.

Will other colours be prohibited?

There’s growing momentum for getting rid of synthetic dyes from foods.

became the first state to ban six artificial food colourings from food served in public schools. More than a dozen state parliaments may consider bills this year that would ban synthetic colourings in foods, either for school lunches or in any setting. In October, protesters called for the WK Kellogg Co. to remove artificial colourings from cereals such as Apple Jacks and Froot Loops.

What about natural colors?

You can add colour to food using natural ingredients. Some manufacturers have already changed their recipes to get rid of Red 3. Instead, they use beet juice, a dye made from insects called carmine, or pigments from foods like purple sweet potatoes, radishes and red cabbage.

But it’s a bit tricky, said Meghan Skidmore, a Sensient spokesperson. Natural dyes might not be as stable as synthetic dyes and can be affected by things like heat and acid levels.

“She says it’s not out of the question to replace it, but there isn’t a straightforward solution.”

How can you steer clear of synthetic dyes?

Because the dyes are used so commonly, it can be hard to find foods that don’t have artificial colouring.

The best way to avoid dyes is to read the ingredient labels, said Arnold.

“If the list of ingredients is so long that you don’t want to bother reading it and it probably includes things you can’t even pronounce, don’t buy it,” he said.

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