The Food and Drug Administration is ordering food and drug makers to remove a dye called Red 3 from the products U.S. consumers eat and drink.
The colorant was banned from cosmetics and non-oral medications decades ago because a study showed it caused cancer when eaten by rats. But it kept appearing on the ingredient lists of popular snack foods and other grocery products because it remained approved for use until now.
Consumer advocates monitor manufacturers that still include the additive, and companies often switch to less notorious alternatives. Shoppers should always check food labels to see if an item they want to buy includes Red 3, which is also known as erythrosine and FD&C Red No. 3.
What foods have Red dye 3?
Candies
Brach’s Conversation Hearts and Brach’s Candy Corn both contain Red 3. But some other red candies, like Swedish Fish and Wild Cherry Lifesavers, use Red 40.
Baked goods and snacks
Some baked goods and snacks—mostly with red icing—contain Red 3. Betty Crocker Red Decorating Icing contains Red 3. But Pillsbury’s Funfetti Valentine’s Day Vanilla Frosting—which is swirled with tiny red hearts—uses Red 40.
Dairy and frozen foods
Check for Red 3 in strawberry-flavored milk, ice cream, frozen yogurt and popsicles. TruMoo Strawberry Whole Milk contains Red 3. But Edy’s Strawberry Ice Cream and Popsicle-brand fruit pops both use use beet juice for coloring.
Fruit products
Many maraschino cherry brands—including store brands from Walmart and Kroger—have switched to Red 40. But Kroger Extra Cherry canned fruit cocktail contains Red 3.
Beverages
Ensure Original Strawberry Nutrition Shake contains Red 3. But many beverage brands use Red 40, including Hawaiian Punch and Kool-Aid, Fanta and Jarritos strawberry sodas and Faygo black cherry soda.
Medications
Consumer advocates say some gummy vitamins and medications contain Red 3. But others use natural coloring or alternate dyes. Vicks Formula 44, Luden’s and Halls cough drops all use Red 40. Mucinex Children’s Cough Syrup, Robitussen Adult Cough and Chest Congestion and Vick’s NyQuil Cold and Flu also use Red 40.
Is Red dye 40 safe?
The recent announcement about Red 3 has people concerned about its sister food dye, Red 40. While the two share similarities, they are made of separate chemicals.
Many food manufacturers have switched to Red 40 as an alternative to Red 3, but research is still ongoing into its effects. California banned the dye last year after it was linked to hyperactivity in children.
“Red dye 40 is not definitively proven to cause cancer,” toxicologist Kelly Johnson-Arbor told Women’s Health. “But it is associated with development of allergic reactions in susceptible individuals.”
Should you eat food with colored dyes?
These chemical additives are not necessary to consume as part of a balanced diet. If you’re concerned about the safety of these ingredients, experts recommend foods that have been colored with beet juice and other natural alternatives.
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