It's been nearly 35 years since red dye number three was banned from cosmetics due to potential cancer risks. Now, it's being pulled from our food.For shoppers like Ryann Urban, a trip to the grocery store is more than routine. I met her at Ada's Natural Market in Fort Myers. She's on a mission to find the healthiest food she can get. Avoiding red dye number three is something she said she is already used to doing. "I definitely think all of the harmful chemicals, not just the red dye number three, but there are also many other different colors that are not healthy for us to be ingesting or giving to our kids," Urban said. She said she is glad the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took action in mid-January to ban red dye number three. The dye is synthetic. It gives certain foods and drinks a bright, red color. "I actually give a lot of thought to the ingredients that are in the food that I purchase,” Urban added. The FDA is pulling red number three after data presented in 2022 showed the ingredient causes cancer in male lab rats exposed to high levels of the dye. “When they went back and looked, obviously it was a concern for animals. So if it's concern for animals, it should be a concern for us,” explained Erika Graziani, an outpatient dietitian with Lee Health. “I think it is a concern,” Graziani said. “Maybe not me personally, because I tend to avoid a lot of those processed foods with the dyes."We found red three in the ingredients for candy, cakes, frostings and other sweets. Many of the foods with the ingredient are ultra-processed. The FDA has a database where you can search specific ingredients, like red 3, and see what products it’s in.A recent search came up with about 9,000 results in this database. Graziani added, “If you're concerned about those dyes in your food, continue to pay attention to those labels and understand that there are a lot of food products out there that do not necessarily have the dyes and even some of those additives."Back here at Ada's, Dee Lindbergh works to help shoppers find what they're looking for when avoiding the dyes. She said she has been waiting for the FDA to pull Red 3 for years. “There are people that contend with children who have allergies to certain things,” Lindbergh. Guiding people through ingredients is a mission she's proud to take on, “especially if they thank me and they say I was helpful. I'm glad I can be of help," she added. She helps people looking to take control of their health.Despite what happened to the rats, the FDA said studies in other animals or humans did not show the same effect, and there is no evidence showing red three causes cancer in humans.The FDA said manufacturers who use red three in food and ingested drugs will have until January 15, 2027, or January 18, 2028, respectively, to reformulate their products.ABC-7 contacted multiple companies that use red three in their products in response to the FDA’s decision. Of all the companies we contacted, the only one to respond as of this publication was a spokesperson for McKee Foods told us: “We anticipated this move from the FDA and have been working with our suppliers to find alternative ingredients. We do not directly add red dye no. 3 to our products. Rather, they are included in some of our toppers, those ingredients that are sprinkled on top of our products. Our goal is to meet the compliance date by January 2026, a full year earlier than the FDA has required.”
FORT MYERS, Fla. — It's been nearly 35 years since red dye number three was banned from cosmetics due to potential cancer risks. Now, it's being pulled from our food.
For shoppers like Ryann Urban, a trip to the grocery store is more than routine. I met her at Ada's Natural Market in Fort Myers. She's on a mission to find the healthiest food she can get. Avoiding red dye number three is something she said she is already used to doing.
ABC7 SWFL (WZVN-TV)
Ryann Urban
"I definitely think all of the harmful chemicals, not just the red dye number three, but there are also many other different colors that are not healthy for us to be ingesting or giving to our kids," Urban said.
She said she is glad the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took action in mid-January to ban red dye number three. The dye is synthetic. It gives certain foods and drinks a bright, red color. "I actually give a lot of thought to the ingredients that are in the food that I purchase,” Urban added.
The FDA is pulling red number three after data presented in 2022 showed the ingredient causes cancer in male lab rats exposed to high levels of the dye.
“When they went back and looked, obviously it was a concern for animals. So if it's concern for animals, it should be a concern for us,” explained Erika Graziani, an outpatient dietitian with Lee Health. “I think it is a concern,” Graziani said. “Maybe not me personally, because I tend to avoid a lot of those processed foods with the dyes."
ABC7 SWFL (WZVN-TV)
Erika Graziani speaks with Channing Frampton
We found red three in the ingredients for candy, cakes, frostings and other sweets. Many of the foods with the ingredient are ultra-processed. The FDA has a database where you can search specific ingredients, like red 3, and see what products it’s in.
A recent search came up with about 9,000 results in this database. Graziani added, “If you're concerned about those dyes in your food, continue to pay attention to those labels and understand that there are a lot of food products out there that do not necessarily have the dyes and even some of those additives."
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Back here at Ada's, Dee Lindbergh works to help shoppers find what they're looking for when avoiding the dyes. She said she has been waiting for the FDA to pull Red 3 for years.
“There are people that contend with children who have allergies to certain things,” Lindbergh. Guiding people through ingredients is a mission she's proud to take on, “especially if they thank me and they say I was helpful. I'm glad I can be of help," she added. She helps people looking to take control of their health.
ABC7 SWFL (WZVN-TV)
Dee Lindbergh speaks with Channing Frampton
Despite what happened to the rats, the FDA said studies in other animals or humans did not show the same effect, and there is no evidence showing red three causes cancer in humans.
The FDA said manufacturers who use red three in food and ingested drugs will have until January 15, 2027, or January 18, 2028, respectively, to reformulate their products.
ABC-7 contacted multiple companies that use red three in their products in response to the FDA’s decision. Of all the companies we contacted, the only one to respond as of this publication was a spokesperson for McKee Foods told us:
“We anticipated this move from the FDA and have been working with our suppliers to find alternative ingredients. We do not directly add red dye no. 3 to our products. Rather, they are included in some of our toppers, those ingredients that are sprinkled on top of our products. Our goal is to meet the compliance date by January 2026, a full year earlier than the FDA has required.”
