LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) – Red dye number 3 will no longer be used in U.S. foods.
The FDA announced a ban on the dye today – nearly 35 years after Red 3 was barred from all cosmetics due to a potential cancer risk.
Red 3 is found in some candies, snack cakes, maraschino cherries, dietary supplements, and oral medicines, such as cough syrups.
It was banned in 1990 in cosmetics, but it has remained in our food supply.
“It was banned from being used in cosmetics because it’s carcinogenic, meaning causing cancer, so they cut it out of those, but not what we’re putting in our mouth,” said holistic wellness consultant Brett Gschwend.
Gschwend says it’s important to consume natural products rather than these artificial dyes.
“We just want to minimize our exposure to Red 3, but any of those artificial dyes, anything that isn’t naturally supposed to be in the body, meaning coming from the earth,” said Gchswend.
He also said that over time, Red 3 can have significant effects on our overall health.
“Some of the things that people will find if they do their own research are the things we have mentioned… thyroid tumors, thyroid cancer, disrupting iodine metabolism, hyperactivity in the brain for cases like ADD, ADHD, autism, and just that overall interference in our brain for how our hormones work,” said Gschwend.
He understands that this will change how food manufacturers operate and could increase costs for consumers but believes this is a step in the right direction.
“This is just one of many that still need to be banned, and we’re just one of the few countries that use things like this in our foods,” said Gschwend.
Red 3 is banned in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand with exceptions in some cherries.
It is not clear whether the ban will face legal challenges from food manufacturers, but as of now, they will have until Jan. 20-27 to remove the dye from their products.
Makers of oral drugs will have until Jan. 20-28 to do the same.
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