For consumers, the ban on Red No. 3 represents a small victory for public health and safety. It shows that the FDA is actively engaged in protecting the American food supply from harmful additives. As more studies emerge and consumer advocacy grows, we may see additional changes in how artificial dyes are used.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned Red No. 3 last dye, leading those to think Red Dye No. 40 could be next. How are these dyes different?

Discover which popular foods will be affected by the FDA's new ban on Red No. 3, the synthetic dye that adds a vibrant pop of color to candies, cakes, and some foods you wouldn't even expect.

The FDA banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 based on a petition asking that the agency follow a specific guideline.

T he U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in food and ingested drugs on Wednesday, more than three decades after the agency prohibited it from being used in cosmetics because of possible cancer risks.

T he U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of red dye No. 3 in foods, more than three decades after researchers discovered its link to cancer in rodents and to worsened attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and other behavioral symptoms. The dye is already banned from foods in the European Union, New Zealand and Australia.

The FDA recently announced a ban on red dye no. 3, which has been used for years in all kinds of food, like candy, cookies, and cereal. It’s even added to some medications. But why did the agency decide that it’s no longer safe?

U.S. regulators are banning the dye called Red 3 from the food supply. The move comes nearly 35 years after the dye was barred from cosmetics such as lipsticks because of potential cancer risk.