Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned Red Dye No. 3 in foods, beverages and oral medications because the chemical has been linked to cancer in animal studies.
The FDA previously banned the same dye in cosmetics and topicals for cancer risk in 1990. Both bans relied on the FDA’s Delaney Clause, which requires the agency to ban food additives that cause cancer in animals or humans.
The chemical has also been banned or restricted in food and cosmetics in Australia, Japan, and countries in the European Union, but in online discussions many Americans questioned whether the ban was really necessary.
Many people asked how the high doses of red dye no. 3 used in animal studies relates to the relatively low levels of red dye consumed by people, and wondered why animal studies are being used to evaluate human health risks in the first place.
I spoke with Environmental Health Sciences Senior Scientist Susanne Brander to break down the reasons behind the ban and address these questions.
– YouTube