After decades of debate, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a ban on Red Dye No. 3, a synthetic food coloring that’s been linked to cancer in male lab rats. The decision comes after a petition filed in 2022 by advocacy groups,

Front-of-package labels have spurred companies in other countries to cut sugars and salt. The FDA wants to follow suit here.

FDA announced an order revoking the listings providing for the use of the color additive FD&C Red No. 3 in both foods

Red dye No. 3 is found in at least dozens of candy, food and beverage products, but some of the most popular brands either never used, or have already stopped using, the additive.

Red dye No. 3 must be removed from food by mid-January 2027 and excised from ingested drugs the following year after the FDA’s decision to ban it.

The artificial food dye can be found in candy, beverages, chips and other packaged foods — often consumed by children.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed a new front-facing label for most food and drinks to help consumers easily identify healthier food choices.

What products can Red No. 3 be found in? The Food and Drug Administration is ordering food and drug makers to remove the dye called Red 3 from