The US Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of Red No. 3 dye in food and medicine.
The agency announced on Wednesday that the dye, which is used to give certain candies, cakes and other items a red color, was found to cause cancer in male rats.
Food companies in the US have now been given until January 15, 2027, to reformulate their products without Red No. 3, while drugmakers have been given until January 18, 2028, to do so.
The ban on its use in food comes 35 years after it was banned in cosmetics and topical medicines.
The US state of California had already banned Red No. 3 in 2023, while the European Union, Britain, Australia and New Zealand have restricted its use.
According to nutritionists, this dye is used in the following:
Certain fruit cocktails
Candy corns
Protein shakes
Ice pops
Sausages
Lollipops
Puddings
Vegetarian meats
Bacon bits
Strawberry milk
Jellybeans
Candies
Colored beverages
Strawberry ice cream bars
