Red No. 3 Dye Banned by FDA Over Cancer Concerns

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced an official ban on the use of Red No. 3 dye in food, drinks, and ingested drugs due to concerns about its potential cancer risk.

The ban comes nearly 35 years after the dye was banned in cosmetics due to studies showing it caused cancer in lab rats.

The FDA's decision follows a 2022 petition from health and food safety groups asking the agency to ban the dye, often used to color candies, chips, and maraschino cherries.

While there’s no clear evidence linking Red No. 3 to cancer in humans, the FDA’s decision was based on concerns from animal studies. Food companies will have until January 2027 to stop using the dye, and drugmakers have until January 2028 to comply.

Red No. 3 has been banned in cosmetics since 1990, and its use has been limited in Europe since 1994.