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Artificial food additives have been around for years. In fact, as a child, I have eaten more than my fair share. Do you remember those cheese trix and candies, especially the ones that turn your lips red or your tongue blue? Well, those were the days. Little did we know how dangerous those foods were to our health, especially Red Dye No. 3. 

While reports over the years have raised concerns about these types of food additives, especially Food Safety/Consumer advocates, these cries have seemingly fallen on the deaf ears of most organizations that were established to protect our food and by extension, our health.  

Nonetheless, those messages have reached a few of its intended targets, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently (January 15, 2025) declared a ban on one of these food additives – Red Dye No. 3.

Seeing that many of Jamaica’s foods are from the USA, this ban will certainly affect some of the foods we consume, especially snacks.  Also, there are manufacturers here in Jamaica that use this dye in many of its foods, as such, consumer awareness becomes even more paramount. However, this ban is a step in the right direction. But what is this Red Dye No. 3? How does it impact our health? Let’s Discuss!

The Discussion

FD&C Red No. 3 otherwise known as Red Dye No. 3, Red No. 3 or Erythrosine, is a synthetic food dye or pigment used in foods, giving them a bright cherry-red colour (U.S. Food and Drug Administration -FDA, 2025; Lyday et al. 2015).

This dye is made through the chemical processing of compounds such as phenol and phthalic anhydride which turns into another substance known as fluorescein (National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2025). Fluorescein is then further processed, producing a bright red dye, the one many of us have become accustomed to seeing in foods, even if we did not know it was artificially made. 

This cherry-red dye is used in many products such as candies, beverages, and baked products, among many others, even in cosmetics. If the product is not naturally red, there is a high possibility that if it is red, it is artificially manufactured.

In this article we will explore some of the questions surrounding the banning of Red Dye No. 3, the main reason for this ban, what it does to our body, what is the acceptable daily intake (ADI), foods you can find it in and how you can avoid it, seeing that it won’t completely be removed from foods until either January 15, 2027 or January 18, 2028. 

I will also explore why Red Dye No. 3 was officially banned and not Red Dye No. 40, which is also a very common synthetic food dye.

Questions about the Ban of Red Dye No. 3:

• Why was Red Dye No. 3 banned?
• What does it do to the body?
• What is the acceptable daily intake (ADI)?
• Foods you can find it in.
• How to avoid it.
• Why was Red Dye No. 3 Banned and Not Red Dye No. 40?

Why was Red Dye No. 3 Banned?

Red Dye No. 3 have been a controversial food additive for years with many food advocates raising concerns about its negative effect on the human body. Studies have shown that the ingestion of this dye may promote the development of thyroid tumours, even in low concentrations (Jennings et al. 1990; Borzelleca et al. 1987). 

This conclusion was a result of a study conducted on rats, which showed the development of thyroid tumours even with a concentration as low as Four (4%) percent of Red Dye No. 3 or Erythrosine. However, according to the FDA, no evidence was found showing that it causes cancer in humans. This was according to the colour additive petition of 2022.

As such, the main reason for its ban as per the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was its potential to cause the development of cancer. Therefore, manufacturers are prohibited from using it in both foods and ingested drugs (FDA, 2025).

Red Dye No. 3 Health Effects

According to research, Red Dye No. 3 have a non-genotoxic effect on the body. This means that, while it may not directly damage one’s DNA or genetic material, it has the potential to induce cancer or cause other adverse effects through unknown mechanisms that do not involve the direct alteration of one’s DNA. Therefore, its consumption, especially over time can cause inflammation in the body or the disruption of cellular function (Adler et al. 2011).

Nonetheless, other studies have purported that when Red Dye No. 3 is used in low doses, those below what is considered ‘Acceptable Daily Intake – ADI’ may not lead to the development of cancer. This acceptable daily intake of food was endorsed by many organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and others around the world (FD and C Red No. 3 Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, WHO, 2018).

As such, these organizations permitted the use of Red Dye No. 3 in foods such as cherries (i.e. packaged, cocktail and candied). But only in concentration denoted as ‘acceptable daily intake.’  But what was the acceptable daily intake of Red Dye No. 3?

The acceptable daily intake (ADI) of synthetic food dyes in itself was controversial and ambiguous in some cases, to say the least. This ‘acceptable intake’ was calculated as a measure of the amount of a specific substance in food or drinking water that can be ingested daily, for a lifetime with little health risk or what the World Health Organization (WHO) and other such agencies denoted as ‘appreciable health risk.’ As such, it is expressed in milligrams (of the substance) per kilogram of body weight per day (WHO, 1987; Lu et al. 2002; Faustman et al. 2001).

What is the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of Red Dye No. 3?

The current acceptable daily intake (ADI) of Red Dye No. 3 is zero. This is because of its current ban (January 15, 2025) which prohibits manufacturers from using it in their products (foods and medicines).

Foods with Red Dye No. 3

Red Dye No. 3 can be found in many foods such as candies, strawberry-flavoured products (including milk), cherry products (i.e. cocktails, candid, etc.), shakes, cookies, diabetic drinks, cakes, frostings, icings, frozen desserts, imitation bacon products, peppermint flavoured sweets, among others. You can also find it in medicines such as cough syrups and other types of medications.

In fact, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Food Database, over Two Thousand (2,000) food products contain this food dye (EWG, 2025).

How to avoid Foods with Red Dye No. 3

According to the FDA ban of January 2025 on Red Dye No. 3, manufacturers are required to list if the dye is an ingredient on their food label/s. However, seeing that manufacturers will have until January 2027 and 2028 to completely remove it from their products, you will have to check the ingredient list of the food products you purchase, or medications prescribed.  

To help you on your quest to avoid Red Dye No. 3, look for ingredients such as s ‘Red Dye No. 3.’ ‘FD&C Red No. 3’, ‘Erythrosine’ and ‘E127.’

Further, another way to currently avoid this ingredient in the foods you purchase is to avoid foods/products that are red, especially those that are not naturally red.  Some processed products which may be ‘red in colour’ may use natural alternatives such as beetroot, hibiscus, elderberry, red cabbage, radishes, etc.

Remember, it is also found in medications, especially common cough syrups, so where possible, ask for those that are ‘dye-free’ when purchasing.  Nonetheless, always try to take some time to read through the ingredient list of any foods or medications you plan to consume or ingest.

Why is there a Ban on Red Dye No. 3 and Not Red Dye No. 40?

Many, if not all food dyes have raised health concerns over the years. While there is now an official ban on Red Dye No. 3, none does not exist for Red Dye No. 40.  This may be based on research which has shown fewer health concerns for Red Dye No. 40. However, some research has shown it to be carcinogenic if contaminated with benzidine (Kobylewski and Jacobson, 2012). 

Other synthetic food dyes such as Yellow 5 and 6, Blue 1, Orange B, etc. have been found to cause hypersensitivity or neurobehavioural effects on the body, especially in children as well as genotoxicity (Kobylewski and Jacobson, 2012). 

As such, where possible, try to avoid synthetic food dyes and only purchase products that are natural or those that use natural additives such as beetroot, elderberry, hibiscus, etc. to colour their foods.

Illustrative Summary

Here is an illustrative summary of the RED DYE NO. 3  And its EFFECTS on the BODY!

Let’s Sum Up!

Synthetic food dyes or additives have been used for years. Reports showed that these food dyes were endorsed to be used in foods more than Thirty (30) years ago. However, the recent ban on Red Dye No. 3 by the U.S. FDA, while applauded, still raises concerns about food dyes in general and other additives that research has shown to negatively impact the body.  Nonetheless, this is a start.

Red Dye No. 3 have been found to induce cancer, especially thyroid along with other health concerns. However, this ban was based on its potential to cause the development of cancer.

You can find Red Dye No. 3 in many foods, such as candies, cakes, and beverages, among many others.  You will also find them in medications, especially cough syrups. So, it is best to read the labels of the foods and medications you purchase.

So, now that we have explored Red Dye No. 3, its recent ban and how it affects the body, will you be consuming products with this ingredient? How will your grocery shopping habits change? Share it Nuh!

You can read more on foods that can be used as natural additives for our foods, especially those that can give foods that ‘natural red colour’ in the articles below. You can also download the FREE Shopping List Guide for reference as you walk those grocery aisles as well as for your overall health and wellness journey

• Elderberry – What it is and Five (5) Benefits that make it one of the world’s renowned berries.

• Beetroot – It’s more than a Nitrate Powerhouse!

• Five (5) Health Benefits of Eating Cabbage  – Especially White Cabbage!

• The FDA’s New Rule on Bioengineered Foods!

• Healthy Grocery Shopping List Guide

References

• Adler, S., Basketter, D., Creton, S. et al. Alternative (non-animal) methods for cosmetics testing: current status and future prospects—2010. Arch Toxicol 85, 367–485 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-011-0693-2
• Borzelleca JF, Capen CC, Hallagan JB (October 1987). “Lifetime toxicity/carcinogenicity study of FD & C Red No. 3 (erythrosine) in rats”. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 25 (10): 723–33. doi:10.1016/0278-6915(87)90226-2. PMID 2824305.
• Faustman, Elaine M.; Omenn, Gilbert S. (2001). “Risk assessment”. In Klaassen, Curtis D. (ed.). Casarett & Doull’s Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 92–4. ISBN 978-0-07-134721-1.
• FD and C Red No. 3 Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, WHO, 2018. Retrieved January 17, 2025).
• Jennings AS, Schwartz SL, Balter NJ, Gardner D, Witorsch RJ (May 1990). “Effects of oral erythrosine (2′,4′,5′,7′-tetraiodofluorescein) on the pituitary-thyroid axis in rats”. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 103 (3): 549–56. doi:10.1016/0041-008x(90)90327-q. PMID 2160137.
• Kobylewski S, Jacobson MF. Toxicology of food dyes. Int J Occup Environ Health. 2012 Jul-Sep;18(3):220-46. doi: 10.1179/1077352512Z.00000000034. PMID: 23026007.
• Lu, Frank C.; Sam Kacew (2002). Lu’s Basic Toxicology: Fundamentals, Target Organs and Risk Assessment. Taylor & Francis. p. 364. ISBN 0-415-24855-8.
• Lyday, Phyllis A; Kaiho, Tatsuo. “Iodine and Iodine Compounds”. Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a14_381.pub2. ISBN 978-3-527-30673-2.
• National Center for Biotechnology Information (2025). PubChem Compound Summary for CID 27872, erythrosine sodium anhydrous. Retrieved January 29, 2025, from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/erythrosine-sodium-anhydrous.
• WHO (1987). “Principles for the safety assessment of food additives and contaminants in food”. Environmental Health Criteria 70.