The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has announced a new ban on Red No. 3 dye in food and ingested medicines. This decision comes after years of concerns about the dye’s safety.
Red No. 3 is a bright red dye used in many foods like candies, cookies, and sprinkles. Some popular items with this dye include:
• Brach’s candy corn
• Betty Crocker sprinkles
• Strawberry Ensure
The dye has been in use since 1907 but was banned in cosmetics and topical medicines back in 1990. Scientists found it could cause cancer in lab animals.
Even though Red No. 3 was banned in makeup 35 years ago, it stayed in food products. This was criticized by many health experts who worried about the risks, especially for children who eat a lot of colored snacks.
Other countries, like Australia, Japan, and many in Europe, already stopped using this dye in food. Now, the U.S. is catching up.
Food companies will need to change their recipes to remove Red No. 3. Many might switch to natural color alternatives, which are safer for health.
This ban is good news for everyone, especially kids. Removing harmful chemicals like Red No. 3 from food will make snacks safer to eat. It also shows the FDA is working to improve food safety.
Now, when you see colorful snacks, you can feel a bit more confident about what’s inside.