The red dye that is banned is Red No. 3 (also known as erythrosine). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of Red No. 3 in foods, beverages, oral drugs, and dietary supplements, with manufacturers required to remove it by January 2027 and pharmaceutical companies by January 2028. This ban follows research that linked Red No. 3 to cancer in male laboratory rats. It had already been banned in cosmetics since 1990 and is also banned in food products in California and other countries including Australia, New Zealand, and the European Union. Red No. 3 was commonly found in candies, cakes, cookies, frostings, and some medications before the ban.
