Bye Bye, Red Dye
Ring Pops are headed back to the drawing board.
On Wednesday, the FDA announced that it’s banning Red Dye No. 3, the cherry-red synthetic coloring found in snacks, drinks, and drugs. The dye must be removed from food by mid-January 2027 and from ingested drugs by 2028.
First approved in 1907, the petroleum-based dye has been linked to tumors in high-dose rat studies, though no direct human link has been found. Advocacy groups also cite studies linking synthetic dyes to ADHD and behavior issues in children. Red No. 3 has been banned from U.S. cosmetics since 1990 and is already restricted or banned in Australia, Japan, and the E.U.
What’s next for conversation hearts and candy corn? Companies will reformulate recipes, with some expected to adopt fruit-and-veggie-derived dyes already used by food brands abroad.
Verse to consider when picking out your next snack… “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 CSB (read full passage)