Color signaling has long provided us with visual clues about what to eat and what not to eat. Food dressed in fuzzy black and blue mold? No, thank you. Red meat fading to dull brown? Merely a case of oxidized iron, but arguably less appealing. Bright red berries at their peak of ripeness? Either poison or pleasure – time will tell.
Of course, these are examples of color signaling in the natural world. Despite its many great inventions, food science has also been responsible for developing ingredients that falsely color foods.
Whereas Mother Nature colors her red fruits with anthocyanins (an antioxidant), other cherry-red foods such as certain candies, cakes, sprinkles, strawberry-flavored milk, Maraschino cherries and fruit-flavored drinks relied on FD&C Red No. 3.
However, times are changing. The Food and Drug Administration will no longer authorize Red No. 3 in food or drugs beginning Jan. 15, 2027, and Jan. 18, 2028, respectively.
Naturally, you’re concerned. How many fake red foods have you consumed over your lifetime? If it’s being banned, there must be a reason.
Before you go into panic mode, there are a few things to know.
First, the dye was revoked because of the 1960 Delaney Clause. This prohibits the FDA from authorizing food additives, including color, that have been found to induce cancer in humans or animals.
So, Red No. 3 causes cancer? Yes, in rats, when they are fed large amounts of the color additive. Is it comparable to what humans could consume? Depends on who you ask, but the International Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives says, “Yes, with the highest potential in children.”
Whether humans are at risk in the same way rats exposed to Red No. 3 are, is hard to say definitively. But, it did induce cancer in animals, and under the Delaney Clause, that’s enough to revoke authorized use.
Another concern is the potential impact of Red No. 3 on behavior, especially in children. On one hand, some parents swear they notice a difference in their child’s behavior when they eat foods with Red No. 3 (or other food dyes).
Despite anecdotal evidence, scientific research has not been able to establish a significant casual relationship. Keep in mind, “has not” doesn’t predict “will not.”
What we’re likely to learn is that some people may be more susceptible. We may also realize the FDA’s previously established acceptable daily intake was set too high – some studies already suggest that.
Manufacturers have a year to find an alternate red coloring for their food, so don’t expect changes tomorrow, unless you consciously avoid foods with Red No. 3 (check the ingredient list). For the record, eight artificial food dyes remain approved.
As for me, I guess that’s the end of an era for the cherry-flavored candies I’ve bribed my kids with on countless hikes. I suspect honey sticks, fruit leather or dye-free candy will work just as well. If not, the fear of being left behind in the woods, all alone, should keep them motivated to move.
Nicole Clark is director of La Plata County Extension Office. Reach her at nclark@lpcgov.org.
