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In 1990, the FDA banned the use of Red No. 3 in topical drugs and cosmetics. Its cited reasoning was that the color additive was “not shown to be safe,” because when fed to rats, Red No. 3 was found to slightly increase the risk of thyroid cancer. Today, that same dye is still found in candy corn, ring pops, Pez, and nearly 3,000 other foods that we eat, which raises the question: If it’s not safe to put on our skin … is it really safe to ingest? Many researchers, advocates, and now state lawmakers say no.
Last year, California passed a bill formally banning Red No. 3 and several other additives from food in the state. The bill gives the food industry until 2027 to remove the additives from its products, and the industry is already responding, with companies like Pediasure quickly removing the dye from its shakes.
The question remains, though: Where is the federal ban on Red No. 3 in food if the FDA deemed it unsafe for topical uses over 30 years ago?
Vox’s podcast Explain It to Me put out an episode about dyes, too. You can check it out here.
