What parents need to know about red dye no. 3

In January 2025, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially banned the use of red dye no. 3 in food and medicines in the U.S.

But food manufacturers have until January 2027 to get red dye no. 3 out of their products – and drug companies have until January 2028 to get it out of medicines.

So, until then, what's a concerned parent to do? Michaelann Rangel, RD, Clinical Dietitian at Children's Health℠, answers common questions parents have about the harms of red dye no. 3 and food additives – and how best to avoid foods that may contain them.

What is red dye no. 3?

Red dye no. 3 is a synthetic, chemical dye that contains iodine and petroleum. It's used to give foods and drinks their bright, cherry-red color.

Iodine is the ingredient in red dye no. 3 that experts believe can disrupt hormones and possibly contribute to thyroid problems, including thyroid cancer.

How is red dye no. 3 different from red dye 40?

Red dye 40 is a different form of red food coloring. Like red dye no. 3, it's also made from petroleum. But it doesn't contain iodine.

Currently, red dye 40 is considered less harmful than red dye no. 3. But some individual states have also banned red dye 40 in food products – or introduced legislation to ban certain food additives or food coloring.

What common products and foods contain red dye no. 3?

Red dye no. 3 is currently found in thousands of food products. Some common "red" foods that have red dye no. 3 in them include:

• Maraschino cherries

• Candy

• Cakes

• Cookies

• Toaster pastries

• Frozen desserts and ice cream

• Frostings

• Sprinkles

• Sodas and fruit-flavored drinks

There are also foods and products you may not expect to find red dye no. 3. These include:

• Vitamins

• Candy corn

• Vegetarian bacon and other vegetarian meats

• Sausages and hot dogs

• Cough syrups

• Spanish rice

Why was red dye no. 3 banned?

In 2022, food safety and health organizations petitioned the FDA to ban red dye no. 3.

They cited studies that:

• Pointed to a link between red dye no. 3 and behavioral issues in kids.

• Showed that being exposed to high levels of red dye no. 3 dye caused cancer in lab rats.

Is red dye no. 3 bad for kids?

There are studies that show that red dye no. 3 could be a trigger for hyperactivity – in kids who are sensitive or have been diagnosed with ADHD. "But we don't have evidence that red dye no. 3 is a direct cause of hyperactivity," Rangel says.

Studies also show a link between red dye no. 3 and cancer in rats. But that same link has not been shown in humans – or any other animal.

However, given these potential concerns, Rangel recommends parents do what they can to help kids avoid foods that contain red dye no. 3.

Are all food dyes and artificial food coloring harmful?

Some food safety experts have concerns about other artificial dyes found in common foods. These include FD&C red no. 40, FD&C yellow no. 5, and FD&C yellow no. 6.

"We need more research. But there are some experts who believe that other artificial food coloring additives may lead to similar attention and hyperactivity problems in children," says Rangel.

How to identify and avoid red dye no. 3

Rangel tells parents that the best way to avoid red dye no. 3 is to become a label reader.

Red dye no. 3 can appear in a few different ways in a product's ingredient list. It may be listed as:

• FD&C red #3

• FD&C red 3

• red 3

Choosing safer alternatives to foods with red dye no. 3

Knowing what to look for on food labels can also help you choose safer and healthier alternatives. Natural dye alternatives that you might see replacing artificial food coloring include:

• Beetroot

• Pomegranate juice

• Spirulina

• Turmeric

Even though food manufacturers have until 2027 to remove red dye no. 3 from their products, some manufacturers have already started to phase it out of their products. You may begin noticing that some products will get a little paler in color because manufacturers have started using these natural dyes.

Rangel believes this trend towards more natural dyes will likely continue as more families become more concerned with what's in their food – and consumer advocacy groups push for using fewer artificial colors and additives.

She suggests comparing the labels of foods that have bright colors. For example, some stores sell their own version of chips and crisps with a fun, bright red coloring that comes from turmeric and paprika rather than artificial dyes.

Choosing foods without additives or artificial food coloring

As a dietitian, Rangel sees the public concern over red dye no. 3 and other food additives as an opportunity for parents to become better label readers. And that also becomes an opportunity for them to more consciously avoid unhealthy, sugary, ultraprocessed foods – and add healthier, less processed foods.

She tells parents to give kids as many healthy, non-processed foods as they can and to slowly introduce healthy food swaps. For kids, eating healthier foods can go a long way to preventing serious health problems like obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

But there are also more immediate reasons for kids to be fueled by healthier foods.

"Parents need all the help they can get raising kids who can focus well, regulate emotions, and have the energy they need at school and during after-school activities" says Rangel.

"Giving kids fewer processed, sugary foods – and avoiding artificial colors and additives – can make a real difference in how a kid feels and acts day-to-day. And that can make the tough job of parenting a little bit easier."

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