Its official! The FDA has banned Red Dye No.3. What Now?

It’s official! The FDA has banned Red Dye No. 3 from food and ingested medicine. If this feels long overdue, that’s because it is. The dye was banned in cosmetics back in 1990 after studies linked it to thyroid cancer in lab animals.

However, despite the same concerns, the FDA did not extend the ban to food and oral drugs—mainly because it was already widely used in the food supply, and the agency did not deem the dietary exposure level high enough to enforce a ban in food - meaning kids could eat it, but adults couldn’t wear it in lipstick. Makes sense, right? Nope. While this issue still isn’t as front and center as it should be, I’m glad it’s finally getting more attention. And there’s definitely more work to do beyond Red Dye No. 3.

I never gave much thought to artificial dyes—until I had kids. I’ve always been health-conscious, but becoming a parent made me look at ingredients more closely. That’s when I realized artificial dyes are everywhere, especially in products marketed to children.

Companies do have a bit time to reformulate, so Red Dye 3 won’t vanish from ingredient lists until 2027 or 2028. But you don’t have to wait—keep reading to learn how you can start avoiding it now.

What Is Red Dye 3 & Why Was It Banned?

Red Dye 3 is a petroleum-based dye (yep, petroleum) used to give food and drinks a bright red color. Since 1969, it’s been added to everything from candies and baked goods to medicine and flavored drinks (including strawberry-flavored Ensure, often given to hospital patients—wild! and a rant I will save for another day). I went down a rabbit hole trying to understand exactly how petroleum and crude oil are turned into dye, but instead, I came across this post [READ HERE]on the Petroleum Service Company website, boasting about the benefits of synthetic dyes:

“The key benefits of artificial, or synthetic, colors are cost and shelf life. Synthetics can be mass-produced at a fraction of the cost of gathering and processing materials used to make natural food dyes. And synthetic dyes might last longer than their natural counterparts. Not to mention that lab-produced colors are not limited to what is available in nature. You want a rainbow of color in your mouth? You can have a rainbow of color in your mouth.”

That sounds far from appetizing—but to big food companies focused on cutting costs and maximizing profit, it’s a dream.

What foods have Red Dye 3?

So many! According to a search on the Environmental Working Group’s food database, there are over 2,900 food products that contain it. You can mostly find it in:

• Candies (fruit snacks, jelly beans, candy corn, bubble gum)

• Icing & Baked Goods

• Flavored Drinks

• Certain Medications - including children’s pain and fever medication. I use mostly Genexa brand now, but Motrin and Tylenol do have dye-free options.

Why was it banned?

In addition to research linking red dye 3 to thyroid cancer, there are also other known concerns such as:

• Hormone Disruption: Studies indicate that dyes like Red 3 (erythrosine) and Yellow 5 (tartrazine) can mimic or interfere with hormone signaling, potentially leading to thyroid and estrogen imbalances affecting metabolism, mood, and overall health.

• Oxidative Stress & Inflammation: Research has shown that certain dyes, such as Red 3 and Red 40, can increase levels of oxidative stress markers, creating an environment conducive to disease development.

• DNA Damage: Some studies have found that artificial dyes like Red 3 and 40 can cause DNA damage, which may harm brain cells and impact cognitive function.

What about Red Dye 40?

While we’re at it, let’s talk about Red Dye 40—still legal in the U.S. and lurking in everything from kids' cereal and other breakfast foods, ice cream, sports drinks to candy. Meanwhile, in Europe, products containing RED 40 must carry a warning label stating it "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children."

Some states are stepping up—California is set to ban all artificial dyes in public schools by 2027, and New York may be next. Fingers crossed!

[READ HERE]

What Can You Do Now?

Check Labels – Red Dye 3 and 40 often appear as FD&C Red No. 3 or Allura Red AC on ingredient lists. Take a peek at labels—it’s eye-opening! The more you check, the easier it gets to spot and avoid artificial dyes.

Find Natural Alternatives – Plenty of drinks, cereals, and candies are made without artificial dyes—you just have to know where to look! Many countries already ban or restrict synthetic dyes, and U.S. companies make cleaner versions for overseas markets. So why not for us?

As a mom of two, I know completely avoiding candy isn’t realistic—but thankfully, better options exist. Fun fact: Haribo gummies made outside the U.S. don’t contain artificial dyes—so yes, cleaner candy is out there! Finding dye-free alternatives isn’t impossible; it just takes a little label reading. Artificial dyes are a hard no for me (right up there with high fructose corn syrup and a few others), but I’ve found that controlling what’s in my house makes it easier to relax when my kids are out in the wild—birthday parties, school events, etc.

I’ll be doing a full post on cleaner snack swaps soon, but for now, here are some dye-free options I had in my pantry today—Solely gummies are a favorite in my house! And YumEarth, which uses organic fruit dyes, is our go-to when we need the real candy experience.

Limit Ultra-Processed Foods – Red Dye 3 is just one of many unnecessary additives lurking in ultra-processed foods. Sticking to whole, nutrient-dense options naturally reduces exposure to a whole list of questionable ingredients.

This isn't meant to scare, shame, or guilt anyone—it's about empowering you with the knowledge to make informed choices and question the ingredients in our food system.

It’s refreshing to now see places like Target stocking better brands with dye-free options. Thrive Market is also a great option for vetted pantry staples free of lots of questionable ingredients, including artificial dyes.

What are your favorite swaps? Drop them in the comments!