Will the FDA ban Red dye 3?

California recently passed a law to ban Red dye 3—something many consumers and advocacy groups hope will drive the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to do the same.

The state recently banned four food additives, including Red No. 3 (erythrosine). But it’s important to note that the California ban won’t go into effect until 2027.

In 1990, the FDA stopped using the dye in makeup and topical drugs like ointments, citing research that it causes cancer in rats. But it’s been allowed to stay in food. Red dye makes food available in bright colors.

Synthetic food dyes can impact neurobehavior in some children, research has shown. In one study, kids aged 3 to 9 years old either drank a beverage with the dye in it or a dye-free drink. Those consuming the dye had increased hyperactivity. Man-made food dyes aren’t just linked to behavior issues in kids. Red dye 3 is also linked to cancer in animals.

“I think the passage of the bill in California creates undeniable pressure on the FDA,” Peter Lurie, MD, president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group, told NPR.

Last year, his group was one of many to petition the FDA to ban the dye. Lurie thinks the news from California will “make it more likely that they grant our petition,” he told NPR.

“For 33 years now, we have been waiting for the FDA to take common sense action that would remove [Red 3] from the market and thereby better protect American consumers,” Lurie said.

M&M’s and Skittles removed Red 3 from their products, though it’s still in a variety of other foods (not just candy). Peeps recently announced they’re removing red dye 3 from their products. (Thankfully, for me, Twizzlers don’t contain Red 3, though other artificial dyes like Red 40 can lurk in sweet treats.)

Even PediaSure Grow & Gain Kids’ Ready-to-Drink strawberry shake contains Red 3, CSPI reports. It’s also found in some prescription drugs, like Vyvanse, considered the “#1 prescribed branded ADHD medication”. That’s somewhat ironic, according to CSPI, as the behavioral problems associated with food dyes are often described as similar to the symptoms associated with ADHD.

“The vibrant colors are important to our industry,” Christopher Gindlesperger, a representative from the National Confectioners Association, a trade group representing companies that make candy, told NPR. He claims that the ban could raise food costs and confusion among consumers.

“It’s FDA’s call to make,” Gindlesperger says. “It’s time for the FDA to lean into the discussion and, have a solid review, [and] evaluate all the available science,” Gindlesperger said.