Products that can be touched

A wide range of foods will be affected if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moves forward with plans to ban the artificial red dye.

According to the Eat Well Guide (EWG) food score database, nearly 3,000 food products on the U.S. market contain red dye 3, including candy, certain brands of mashed potatoes, yellow rice, and some medications.

The list also includes a variety of other foods, including breakfast cereals, beverages and baked goods.

The synthetic dye, also known as erythrosine, is an additive made from petroleum that gives foods and beverages a bright cherry red color, according to the FDA.

It is already banned in the European Union, and starting in January 2027, it will also be banned in foods sold or produced in California.

But the agency has reviewed a petition filed for FD&C Red No. the animals.

Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, told a Senate health committee last week that the agency has a “petition before us to revoke the authorization board, and we hope that in the coming weeks we will be acting on that petition.”

According to Consumer Reports, the supplement has been linked to cancer and thyroid tumors in laboratory animals and has been linked to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral effects in children.

In 1990, the FDA even denied a petition to authorize the use of red dye 3 in cosmetics and topical medications due to data showing that it is associated with animal carcinogenicity.

“We don’t know the extent of it [how bad it is]but it’s not good for you. Why use it? The only reason to use it is because it’s cheaper and sells more products,” told FOX Business Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and senior medical analyst for Fox News.

Some companies have already removed the ingredient from their products.

For example, Red 3 was listed as an ingredient for PediaSure Grow & Gain Strawberry Shake earlier this year.

Today, the product page specifically says, “no red color.”

Abbott, which owns the PediaSure brand, told FOX Business it had “previously committed to removing Red 3 from all PediaSure products by 2024.”

Foods that can be affected:

Various fruit PEZ candy (cherry, strawberry, grape, raspberry, orange, lemon)

PEZ Cotton Candy, Candy Corn and Bananas

Dubble Bubble Original Twist Bubble Gum

Halloween Candy – AMOS Lollipop Finger Rings

Gourmet Candy Corn

MorningStar Farms Veggie Breakfast Original Veggie Bacon Bars

Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice

Entenmann’s Little Bites Holiday Cake Mini Muffins

Betty Crocker Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Fruit from Foot Starburst

Dole Cubed Fruit Cup