The science behind the FDA ban on food dye Red No. 3

0:01You're listening to Life Kit from NPR. Hey, everybody. It's Marielle. When you see desserts or candy or medications that are bright cherry red, they often contain some sort of synthetic food dye. One of those dyes, red dye number three, has been found to cause cancer in rats, and the Food and Drug Administration is now banning it in food and ingested drugs. Our friends at NPR's science podcast, Shortwave, dove into the science behind the ban and talked about other food dyes, too, like Red 40. So we've got that episode for you today. I'll turn it over to shortwave co-host Emily Kwong.

0:44Hey, shortwavers. Emily Kwong here with the lovely Maria Godoy, senior editor and correspondent with the NPR Science Desk. Hey, Maria. Hey, Emily. You are here to walk me through an announcement from the Food and Drug Administration. That's like a pretty big deal. Yeah, so they announced that they're banning the food dye red number three, or in FDA terms, that's revoking authorization. Very official. Red dye number three, of course, is a very widely used food dye. It's been authorized for decades. For half a century, actually, and it's in thousands of products. It's a petroleum-based dye that's in everything from candy to all sorts of snack foods, and sodas too, because it gives products this very bright cherry red color.

1:25And in 2002, a petition was filed with the FDA to ban the die. So the FDA has been reviewing the petition and the evidence ever since in an effort to comply with a provision from a 1958 law known as the Delaney Clause. What is the Delaney Clause? So it's part of a series of laws that were passed following hearings in the early 1950s by Representative James Delaney. This one targets food additives. And it says specifically no food additive can be authorized if it's been found to cause cancer. So today on the show, red dye number three. What the research shows about its link to cancer, what other dyes you should be aware of, and what parents should know before letting their kids eat artificially colored food.

2:09I'm Emily Kwong. And I'm Maria Godoy. And you're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

2:19Okay, Maria, tell me about this petition. What did it ask for? Well, so this petition requested the FDA look into whether the Delaney clause applied to red dye number three. And it included two studies that showed male lab rats exposed to very high levels of the food coloring develop cancer. Just male lab rats? Yeah, because historically scientists just used male rats in many experiments because they thought female hormone cycles would skew the results. There's actually been an effort to change that. Interesting. Okay. So red dye number three in high doses causes cancer in rats. But we've known about that for decades, right?

2:57Right. So back in 1990, the FDA banned the use of red number three in cosmetics and medicated ointments and lotions. But the agency concluded it was safe for humans in the amounts used in food. It basically argued that humans aren't going to be eating red dye number three in amounts large enough to cause cancer. The FDA says it has evaluated the safety of red number three multiple times since its original approval for use in food in 1969. But other countries have come to different conclusions. So the dye is banned or severely restricted in many places, Australia, Japan, and many European Union countries, too.

3:36And in 2023, California became the first U.S. state to ban red number three, although that ban doesn't take effect until 2027. This is quite the saga. OK, so this is the decades-long journey of red dye number three. Why has it taken so long for the FDA to act in this direction? I mean, that's what a lot of people want to know. So consumer groups have welcomed this move by the FDA. But honestly, they're pretty upset that it took this long considering the evidence linking the dye to cancer in rats has been around for 30 years. Dr. Peter Lurie is the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

4:14And, you know, that's the group that brought the petition. And he's been nudging the FDA for years to act. It feels great to see this finally take place, but the law is absolutely clear. Any additive that causes cancer in humans or animals is not supposed to be in the food supply. But somehow FDA has tolerated this, even after admitting that it caused cancer over three decades ago. Yeah, he sounds frustrated. Okay, well, how prevalent is red dye 3 in food right now? It's in a lot of foods. Now, I should note that manufacturers are constantly reformulating their products, But there's a list of more than 3 ,000 packaged foods and drinks that contain RED3.

4:54It's compiled by the Environmental Working Group. And it includes everything from fruit cocktail to flavored milk, cake mixes to candy. And, you know, consumer groups' worries go beyond both RED3 and its link to cancer. They're also worried about eight other synthetic food dyes in the food supply. You know, they come in different colors like RED40, Yellow5. And there's evidence linking all these dyes to behavioral issues in kids. Oh, really? What kinds of issues? Well, studies suggest food dyes can make some children and adolescents hyperactive, irritable, inattentive, or moody. Dr. Mark Miller was the lead author of a 2022 paper that reviewed the existing evidence in animals and humans.

5:35Here's what he told NPR back in 2023. I think the evidence is compelling from those human studies that children's consumption of synthetic food dyes can contribute to increases in symptoms like inattention, hyperactivity in some children. So Mark was part of a team of scientists with California's Environmental Protection Agency that reviewed the body of evidence on synthetic dyes in foods. And out of more than 25 studies, more than half of those identified an association between artificial food coloring consumption and these symptoms in children. And, you know, in addition to banning red number three, last year, California passed a second law banning a group of six other synthetic food dyes in school meals, including blue one, green three, red 40, yellow six, a whole rainbow of synthetic food dyes.

6:25A lot. OK, so why isn't the FDA looking then at these other synthetic food dyes? Yeah, well, there are advocacy groups that want the FDA to go further. Here's Peter again with the Center for Science in the Public Interest. We're also trying to get warning labels on other dyes that have been associated with ADHD-like symptoms in children. And you know, this is also a health disparities issue because research suggests that low-income communities are exposed to a lot more synthetic food dyes. Yeah. Can you tell me more about that? Like, why? The short answer is that these dyes are more common in cheaper foods.

7:01So we're talking ultra-processed foods that are designed to be shelf-stable. Think sugary snacks and drinks that are bright and colorful, and so they appeal to kids. And there's evidence that people experiencing food insecurity eat more of this stuff because it's what's available and affordable. Okay, so now that the FDA has banned red number three, how soon will it be gone? Will these products just, like, disappear off the shelf overnight? No, not at all. So food manufacturers have until January 2027 to eliminate red dye number three from their products. But some manufacturers could reformulate more quickly because companies have known that an FDA ban was a possibility for a while now.

7:39And of course, California has already banned several of these food dyes. And often when California acts on an issue, it's a big enough state that it prompts manufacturers to change their products to comply just across the board. And what are some of those manufacturers replacing it with? Like, what are the alternatives to red dye number three? Yeah, so consumer groups worry that some manufacturers may just replace Red No. 3 with Red 40. And in fact, some food manufacturers have done that. And Red 40, like other synthetic food dyes, has been linked to behavior issues in kids. While it's not banned in Europe, its use is more restricted.

8:16So foods sold in the EU that contain Red 40 and other dyes have to carry a health warning that says they may, quote, have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. Wow. But there are natural food colorings from compounds found in fruits and vegetables. Turmeric and beetroot are some common options. You can get green colors from chlorophyll, which is that green pigment found in plant stems and leaves. And, you know, there is precedent for this kind of change. So when Kraft Foods decided to take synthetic food dyes out of its mac and cheese products about a decade ago, it replaced them with colors from spices like paprika and turmeric.

8:52I didn't know that. Yes, much more tasty than petroleum-based dyes. and slightly less bright too. This is true. This is true. But in the meantime, I mean, soda, candy, these are all things kids like. So while this two-year transition is underway, what should parents do? What should they feed their kids? I think the advice is fundamentally the same when it comes to eating, no matter what we're talking about, which is focus on feeding your kids plant-based foods, fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, you know, the things we should all be eating for our health, grownups too. If you're concerned about synthetic food dyes, check the label.

9:27By law, these synthetic food dyes have to be listed on the ingredient label. So just when you're shopping for packaged foods, make sure that they don't have them if you want to avoid them. And then also just try to limit ultra processed foods, which are often high in salt, sugar, and saturated fat and low in fiber, which means they're not great for you anyway. But I'm a parent of two kids. I know what's out there. I know what they like to eat. And so if If your kid eats a bright red cupcake at a friend's birthday party, you know, definitely don't panic. Just focus on keeping their overall pattern of eating healthy.

10:00The occasional bright orange cheesy puff isn't going to kill them. Although it might stain their teeth for a while. Yeah, or their fingers and cause cleanup for you. It's a danger to your couch, right? Maria Godoy, thank you so much for sharing this reporting with us. Oh, my pleasure, Chica. Hey, you, listening to Shorewave. Thank you, by the way, for listening. and make sure you never miss a new episode by following us on whichever podcasting platform you're listening to. And if you have a science question, send it to us at shortwave at npr.org. This episode was produced by Hannah Chin. It was edited by Jane Greenhall and Burley McCoy.

10:36Tyler Jones checked the facts. Kwasi Lee was the audio engineer. Beth Donovan is our senior director and Colin Campbell is our senior vice president of podcasting strategy. I'm Emily Kwong. Thank you for listening to Shortwave from NPR. Thank you.