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

Summary

Life Kit Podcast Summary: The Science Behind the FDA Ban on Food Dye Red No. 3

Episode Title: The Science Behind the FDA Ban on Food Dye Red No. 3
Host/Author: NPR
Release Date: February 3, 2025
Description: This episode delves into the recent FDA ban on the synthetic food dye Red No. 3, exploring its historical usage, associated health risks, and the broader implications for consumers and the food industry.

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Introduction to Red No. 3 and the FDA Ban

Host Marielle Segarra opens the episode by highlighting the prevalence of synthetic food dyes in everyday products, particularly the bright cherry red hue often seen in desserts, candies, and medications. She introduces Red No. 3 as a specific dye now banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to its cancer-causing effects observed in laboratory rats.

"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."
— Marielle Segarra [00:17]

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Understanding the FDA's Decision

Short Wave co-host Emily Kwong transitions the discussion to NPR's Science Desk correspondent, Maria Godoy, who provides an in-depth analysis of the FDA's decision to revoke authorization for Red No. 3.

Background and Historical Usage

Maria explains that Red No. 3 has been in use for nearly a century, present in over 3,000 products ranging from candies to sodas. She emphasizes that despite its widespread use, concerns about its safety have persisted for decades.

"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."
— Maria Godoy [01:28]

The Delaney Clause and Regulatory Framework

Maria introduces the Delaney Clause, a provision from a 1958 law that prohibits the authorization of any food additive found to cause cancer in humans or animals.

"The Delaney Clause... says specifically no food additive can be authorized if it's been found to cause cancer."
— Maria Godoy [01:57]

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The Petition and FDA's Review Process

Emily queries Maria about the petition filed in 2002, which reignited the scrutiny of Red No. 3 under the Delaney Clause. Maria outlines how the petition included studies demonstrating cancer in male lab rats exposed to high levels of the dye, prompting the FDA to re-evaluate its safety.

"This petition requested the FDA look into whether the Delaney Clause applied to red dye number three... two studies showed male lab rats exposed to very high levels of the food coloring developed cancer."
— Maria Godoy [04:39]

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Expert Opinions and Advocacy

Dr. Peter Lurie, Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, expresses his frustration over the prolonged period it took for the FDA to act, despite clear evidence linking Red No. 3 to cancer.

"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."
— Dr. Peter Lurie [06:35]

Maria also references Dr. Mark Miller, who discusses the broader implications of synthetic food dyes on children's behavior.

"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."
— Dr. Mark Miller [07:36]

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Impact on the Food Industry and Consumers

Prevalence of Red No. 3

Maria highlights the extensive use of Red No. 3 in thousands of products, noting that consumer groups are also concerned about eight other synthetic dyes associated with behavioral issues in children.

"There’s a list of more than 3,000 packaged foods and drinks that contain Red 3... artificial food coloring consumption and these symptoms in children."
— Maria Godoy [07:34]

Health Disparities and Socioeconomic Factors

The discussion touches on how synthetic dyes are more prevalent in cheaper, ultra-processed foods, disproportionately affecting low-income communities that rely on these affordable options.

"Research suggests that low income communities are exposed to a lot more synthetic food dyes... ultra processed foods that are designed to be shelf stable."
— Maria Godoy [09:13]

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Regulatory Changes and Industry Response

Timeline for Ban Implementation

Maria informs listeners that food manufacturers have until January 2027 to remove Red No. 3 from their products. However, anticipatory reformulations may expedite this process.

"Food manufacturers have until January 2027 to eliminate red dye number three from their products."
— Maria Godoy [09:40]

Alternatives to Synthetic Dyes

The episode explores alternatives that manufacturers might adopt, such as switching to other synthetic dyes like Red No. 40 or opting for natural colorings derived from fruits and vegetables.

"Natural food colorings from compounds found in fruits and vegetables. Turmeric and beetroot are some common options."
— Maria Godoy [10:13]

Maria cites Kraft Foods' previous transition from synthetic dyes to natural alternatives in its Mac and Cheese products as an example.

"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."
— Maria Godoy [11:07]

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Advice for Parents and Consumers

Maria offers practical advice for parents navigating the transition away from synthetic dyes:

1. Prioritize Whole Foods: Emphasize a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.
2. Check Labels: Synthetic food dyes must be listed on ingredient labels by law, enabling informed choices.
3. Limit Ultra-Processed Foods: Reduce consumption of products high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats.

"Just focus on keeping their overall pattern of eating healthy. The occasional bright orange cheesy puff isn't gonna kill 'em, although it might stain their teeth for a while."
— Maria Godoy [11:26]

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Conclusion

The episode concludes by reinforcing the importance of awareness and informed dietary choices in mitigating the potential health risks associated with synthetic food dyes. Maria Godoy and Emily Kwong underscore the significance of policy changes and consumer advocacy in driving industry reform.

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Notable Quotes:

• "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."
  — Dr. Peter Lurie [06:52]

• "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."
  — Dr. Mark Miller [07:36]

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This comprehensive examination by NPR's Life Kit provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of the FDA's ban on Red No. 3, contextualizing it within historical regulatory frameworks, scientific research, and its broader societal impacts. Whether you're a parent concerned about your child's diet or a consumer interested in food safety, this episode equips you with the knowledge to make informed decisions.

Transcript

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[Marielle]

You'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 short Wave 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 Short Wave co host Emily Kwong.

[Emily Kwong]

Hey, shortwavers. Emily Kwong here with the lovely Maria Godoy, senior editor and correspondent with the NPR Science Desk. Hey, Maria.

[Maria Godoy]

Hey, Emily.

[Emily Kwong]

You are here to walk me through an announcement from the Food and Drug Administration. That's like a pretty big deal.

[Maria Godoy]

Yeah. So they announced that they're banning the food dye red number three, or in FDA terms, that's revoking authorization.

[Emily Kwong]

Very official. Red dye number three, of course, is a very widely used food dye. It's been authorized for decades, for half.

[Maria Godoy]

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. And in 2002, a petition was filed with the FDA to ban the dye. 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.

[Emily Kwong]

What is the Delaney Clause?

[Maria Godoy]

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.

[Emily Kwong]

So today on the show red dye.

[Maria Godoy]

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 living letting their kids eat artificially colored food.

[Emily Kwong]

I'm Emily Kwong.

[Maria Godoy]

And I'm Maria Godoy, and you're listening.

[Emily Kwong]

To Shortwave, the science podcast from npr.

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[Emily Kwong]

Okay Maria, tell me about this petition. What did it ask for?

[Maria Godoy]

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 developed cancer.

[Emily Kwong]

Just male lab rats?

[Maria Godoy]

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.

[Emily Kwong]

Interesting. Okay, so red dye number three in high doses causes cancer in rats. But we've known about that for decades, right?

[Maria Godoy]

Right. 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. And in 2023, California became the first US state to ban red number three, although that ban doesn't take effect until 2027.

[Emily Kwong]

This is quite the saga. Okay, 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?

[Maria Godoy]

I mean, that's what a lot of people want to know.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah.

[Maria Godoy]

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. And, you know, that's the group that brought the petition. And he's been nudging the FDA for years to act.

[Dr. Peter Lurie]

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.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah, he sounds frustrated. Okay, well, how prevalent is red dye 3 in food right now?

[Maria Godoy]

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 Red 3. It'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 red number three and it's linked to cancer. They're also worried about eight other synthetic food dyes in the food supply. You know, they come in different colors, like red, 40, yellow, 5. And there's evidence linking all these dyes to behavioral issues in kids.

[Emily Kwong]

Oh, really? What kinds of issues?

[Maria Godoy]

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. Here'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.

[Emily Kwong]

That's a lot. Okay, so why isn't the FDA looking then at these other synthetic food dyes?

[Maria Godoy]

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.

[Dr. Peter Lurie]

We're also trying to get warning labels on other dyes that have been associated with adhd, like symptoms in children.

[Maria Godoy]

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.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah. Can you tell me more about that? Like, why?

[Maria Godoy]

The short answer is that these dyes are more common in cheaper foods. So 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.

[Emily Kwong]

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?

[Maria Godoy]

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. And 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.

[Emily Kwong]

And what are some of those manufacturers replacing it with? Like, what are the alternatives to red dye number three?

[Maria Godoy]

Yeah. So consumer groups worry that some manufacturers may just replace red number three with red 40. And in fact, some food manufacturers have done that. Oh, 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. So food sold in the EU that contained Red40 and other dyes have to carry a health warning that says it may, quote, have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. 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.

[Emily Kwong]

I didn't know that. Yes, much more tasty than petroleum based.

[Maria Godoy]

Dyes and slightly less bright too. This is true.

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This is true.

[Emily Kwong]

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?

[Maria Godoy]

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. By 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 like, 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. The occasional bright orange cheesy puff isn't gonna kill em, although it might stain their teeth for a while.

[Emily Kwong]

Yeah, or their fingers and cause cleanup for you.

[Maria Godoy]

It's a danger to your couch, right?

[Emily Kwong]

Maria Godoy, thank you so much for sharing this reporting with us.

[Maria Godoy]

Oh, my pleasure, chica.

[Emily Kwong]

Hey, you listening to Shore Wave. 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 [e-mail] this episode was produced by Hannah Chin. It was edited by Jane Greenhall and Burleigh McCoy. Tyler Jones checked the facts. Kwesi 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 Short Wave from npr.

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