Red dye No. 3 has been banned but will other artificial food dyes meet the same fate?

The U.S.Food and Drug Administration banned the dye known as Red 3 from the nation’s food supply in January, setting deadlines for stripping the brightly hued additive from candies and cough syrup, baked goods, and frozen treats.The agency said it was taking the action because studies found that the dye, also known as erythrosine, caused cancer in lab rats.

A federal statute requires the FDA to ban any additive found to cause cancer in animals, though officials stressed that the way Red 3 leads to cancer in rats doesn’t happen in people.However, the dye is only one of several synthetic colors widely found in common foods and other products.As their use is questioned by experts and consumers, here’s what you need to know:Synthetic dyes are petroleum-based chemicals that don’t occur in nature.They’re widely used in foods to “enhance the visual appeal” of products, according to Sensient Food Colors, a St.

Louis-based supplier of food colors and flavorings.Nine dyes, including Red 3, have been allowed in U.S.food.

The other common color additives in food are Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6.Two permitted colors are used more rarely: Citrus Red 2 and Orange B.The FDA certifies synthetic color additives and regulates their use.With the FDA’s recent order on Red 3, manufacturers have until January 2027 to remove the dye from their products.Makers of ingested drugs like cough syrups have until January 2028.Consumer advocates, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, had long lobbied to ban Red 3 from food because of the rat-cancer link.

The dye was prohibited for decades in cosmetics, but not in food or ingested medications.Other research has tied artificial colors to behavioral problems in some children, including hyperactivity and impulsivity, particularly for those at risk for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.“Artificial colors are not the main cause of ADHD, but they may contribute significa...