FDA Bans Red 3 Dye, Which Could Impact Dozens of Snacks Across Texas

HOUSTON, La. (KPEL News) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking a significant step forward in consumer safety by initiating a ban on a controversial food dye that has been linked to cancer for decades.

Red 3, also known as FD&C Red No. 3, has been a staple in the production of various snacks, candies, and other processed foods, lending its vibrant hue to countless products on store shelves.

However, mounting evidence of its potential health risks has led to the FDA’s decision, announced Wednesday, requiring companies to phase out its use. Manufacturers have until January 2027 to eliminate the dye from their production processes, marking a pivotal shift in the regulation of food additives.

READ MORE: Some of Texas’s Favorite Snacks May Disappear Over Cancer Risks

What is Red 3?

Known for its vibrant red or pink hue, it is widely used in products like candy corn, gummies, fruit cocktail cherries, and some snack cakes. However, decades of research have linked the dye to cancer in lab animals, prompting regulatory bans in cosmetics and its restriction in many countries worldwide​​.

The dye has been a source of controversy for decades, having been linked decades ago to cancer in lab animals.

What Products Use Red 3?

The dye can be found in dozens of candies and snacks across the country, though in recent years several companies phased it out of use. The company that makes "Peeps" announced that Easter 2024 would be the end of the dye's use in the pink and purple varieties of the marshmallow treats.

Red 3 was previously used in cosmetics and topical drugs, but the FDA banned its use in those products in 1990.

According to the Environmental Working Group database, there are dozens of products in America that have used the dye in recent years, including:

Fruit by the Foot
Dubble Bubble chewing gum
Entenmann’s Little Bites
Hostess Ding Dongs
Nestle strawberry milk
Jordan Almonds
Pez hard candies
Brach's candy corn
Ringpop

On top of that, stores like Albertsons, Target, and Walmart have all used the dye in some of their house-made products. Many canned fruit cocktails use cherries colored with the day, as well.

How Will It Impact Texas?

Thee are a lot of snacks and candies beloved throughout Texas that will face changes over the ban. But the good news is that you may not notice an immediate change in the products on the shelves. The FDA has given companies have some time to pull the product or begin manufacturing products without the dye in them.

The FDA is constantly monitoring food additives like dyes and has introduced regulations on many of them over the years.