The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced its ban of Red No. 3, a synthetic food dye that has been linked to cancer in animal studies.
The FDA revoked their authorization of the food dye on account of its violation of the Delaney Clause, which prohibits the distribution of any food additive which has been linked to cancer. A color additive petition from 2022 provides two studies that link the high levels of exposure to Red No. 3 to the development of cancer in male rats. However, the authors of the studies suggest the possibility that their findings are skewed based on the different metabolic systems of rats and humans.
While the recent ban might be seen as a small win for regulating harmful additives, the use of synthetic food dyes has become an international flashpoint to critique the FDA and its inconsistent practices. Growing concerns from Americans have been fueled by emerging data suggesting the poor long-term effects of ingesting synthetic food dyes such as Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, and Blue No. 1, additives which face far stricter regulations in Europe than in the US.
FILE – Pez candy is on display at a store in Lafayette, Calif., on March 24, 2023. Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a law, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, making California the first state to ban four chemicals from food and drinks. It bans Red dye no. 3, a food coloring used in candy like Peeps. (AP Photo/Haven Daley, File)
Unlike Red No. 3, Red No. 40 has not faced a ban, although studies have suggested it may contribute to behavioral issues, such as hyperactivity in children. In fact, while both dyes are used for similar purposes, the regulatory landscape surrounding them is very different.
Red No. 40 can be found in the vast majority of American snacks that require red food coloring, including Doritos, Skittles, Froot Loops, Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts, and many more. In Europe, these foods are colored with natural dyes instead, which can be found on the ingredient breakdown on food packaging. Foods with Red No. 40 will list the additive on the ingredient breakdown, typically as “Red 40” or “Allura Red.”
For years, health experts have advised steering clear of an ultra-processed diet to minimize your chances of contracting serious illnesses, cancer among them—but only recently did scientists begin to suggest synthetic food dyes as one of the most harmful additives in our food.
Further research in the food dyes section has become increasingly urgent given the recent rise of colorectal cancer among people under 50, according to Yale Medicine.
Since the long-term health effects of synthetic food dyes remain uncertain, researchers study their impact on small rodents instead.
In an experiment conducted by University of South Carolina Qi Zhang and Alexander A. Chumanevich, mice were given Red No. 40 and studied to assess how it affected their DNA, microbiome, and colon. Their results found that the mice with increased exposure to the food dye suffered from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and often an inflamed microbiome, and well as signs of DNA damage.
Their findings are especially concerning given that 94% of Americans over the age of two consume Red No. 40 on a regular basis, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Until the US adopts more stringent regulations to protect public health, consumers will remain in the dark on the true risks of the additives in their food.
