The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a ban on Red No. 3, a widely used artificial food dye, citing its link to cancer in laboratory studies. The decision, long overdue in the eyes of many health advocates, removes the dye from food products, candies, baked goods, and even ADHD medications, giving manufacturers until early 2027 and 2028 to reformulate their products. The move underscores the growing scrutiny of artificial ingredients in the American food supply.
Red No. 3 has been a subject of controversy since the FDA banned it from cosmetics and topical drugs in 1990 after studies revealed its potential to promote tumor growth in rats. Despite these findings, the dye remained prevalent in hundreds of food items for decades. In an official statement, the FDA explained that the studies linking the dye to cancer involved high doses in rats and that the mechanisms causing tumors in male rats don’t apply to humans. However, health advocacy groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest, pushed for its removal, arguing that it’s better to err on the side of caution.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a long-time critic of artificial food dyes, has hailed the FDA’s decision. During an appearance on Fox & Friends in October, Kennedy vowed to make banning food dyes a top priority if appointed as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services in a future Trump administration. “The first thing I’d do isn’t going to cost you anything because I’m just gonna tell the cereal companies, take all the dyes out of their food,” he said, emphasizing that artificial ingredients have no place in American diets.
Today, the FDA is issuing an order to revoke the authorization for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs in response to a 2022 color additive petition that requested the agency to review whether the Delaney Clause applied. https://t.co/Qd0NFOIUz8 pic.twitter.com/Bpr6XNC8OR
— U.S. FDA Human Foods Program (@FDAfood) January 15, 2025
While the FDA’s decision is a step forward, it highlights the sluggish pace of government action. Democrats often tout themselves as champions of health and safety, but they’ve dragged their feet for decades on issues like this. Instead of wasting time on climate alarmism or protecting men in women’s sports, perhaps the left could focus on protecting families from harmful additives. Conservatives understand that keeping Americans healthy involves both common sense and swift action—something the bureaucratic left seems to struggle with.
The ban on Red No. 3 is a win for families who deserve better from their food supply. Let’s hope this marks a shift toward prioritizing safety over the interests of food conglomerates. Maybe next time, Democrats can spend less time dreaming up expensive “solutions” and more time delivering real results.