MANILA, Philippines — "Red dye" Google searches are at an all-time high after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the ingredient earlier this month.
"The FDA is revoking the authorization for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 as a matter of law, based on the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act)," the FDA website announced.
"The FDA is amending its color additive regulations to no longer allow for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs in response to a 2022 color additive petition," it added.
Red dye No. 3 is a synthetic food dye that gives foods and drinks a bright, cherry-red color.
It has been primarily used in certain food products, such as candy, cakes and cupcakes, cookies, frozen desserts, and frostings and icings, as well as certain ingested drugs.
NBC News reported that Red Dye No. 3 can cause cancer in animals.
Dr. Peter Lurie, president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), told Today.com that FDA banning the substance is a win for the people.
“We’re thrilled that the FDA has finally taken action to remove this unneeded color additive for the market and in so doing has followed the clear dictates of the law," Lurie said.
“In the absence of lobbying by the industry, I think we would all expect this product to have been banned decades ago,” he added.
With the ban of Red Dye No. 3, people are searching what's the difference between it and Red Dye No. 40.
In a report by Good Housekeeping, food safety experts explained the difference between the two dyes.
"One key difference lies in its chemical composition," said Jaclyn Bowen, M.P.H., M.S., executive director of Clean Label Project, a food and consumer safety non-profit organization.
"Red Dye No. 3 is an iodine-based compound, which is believed to contribute to its effects on thyroid function. This iodine content makes it chemically distinct from other widely used synthetic dyes, such as Red 40, which do not pose the same targeted risks to the thyroid."
"Red 40 is considered somewhat healthier than Red Dye No. 3 because no carcinogenic concerns have been raised about it," said Vanessa Rissetto, R.D., co-founder of the virtual nutrition care service Culina Health.
"However, the use and effects of these food dyes have not been rigorously evaluated in years," she added.
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