Although people have been consuming food dye since 1931, red dye number three has been banned from cosmetics since 1990 because of its link to thyroid tumors. Due to recent research, this is also true for coloring in our food. Food dye is much more than a fun harmless coloring, in fact, it’s the exact opposite; there is an association between food dye and a higher risk of ADHD.
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and according to the National Institute of Mental Health, this disorder involves disorganization and procrastination, poor time management, planning, or organization, trouble remembering daily tasks and frequently losing things or being forgetful in activities.
This is the reason that food dye is getting more research attention and the reason for red dye number three getting banned. This dye is specifically harmful because when it was tested on mice it was proven to grow the size of tumors and like most dyes, it causes behavioral issues (like ADHD). Another health issue that is specific to red dye number three is cancer, especially thyroid cancer. This was also tested on lab mice and the results were 91% of the mice’s thyroid cancer worsened after consuming the dye.
Because this dye has concerning side effects, it seems like it should go as soon as possible, but when this happens what will happen to all the foods from our childhood? Will they be gone or replaced? We won’t have to worry about that for a few years. The Food and Drug Administration ( the organization that made the decision to ban the dye) says that manufacturers who use Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs will have until January 15, 2027 or January 18, 2028, respectively, to reformulate their products. But when this time comes, the foods will be using an alternative dye made out of beet juice, purple sweet potatoes, red cabbage, or other naturally pink or purple vegetables.
The good news is that this change will not affect the flavor or quality of our food products because dye adds no flavor or substance to food; it is solely for aesthetic purposes. This is the reason that freshman Berkley Jones says, “If everything in the food is the exact same, but there is no dye, I would pick the one without dye.”
It turns out the United States isn’t the only country that has eliminated specific dyes from its products. Houston Methodist Medical says that several countries — including the European Union, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom — have already banned red dye 3 in foods. Their reason for research was, “If we couldn’t put red dye 3 on our skin, but we could still ingest it, what impact might it be having on our health?”
California was the first place in the US to follow in the lead of these countries and begin to do their own research coming to the same conclusion. When this came to his attention, governor Gavin Newsome got 80,000 signatures on a petition and put into effect that starting in 2027 there would be no food products containing red dye in their state. This ban reached the concern of the FDA and now it is a country-wide rule, so next time you go to eat an artificially dyed candy or snack think twice before eating it, and keep your health as a priority. I encourage you to think to yourself, is this temporary craving really worth the permanent health side effects?
