FDA bans Red 3 food dye: What products contain the dye?

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Food and Drug Administration is ordering food and drug makers to remove Red 3 dye from products U.S. consumers eat and drink.

This comes nearly 35 years after it was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk.

FDA bans Red 3 food dye

What we know:

Red 3 food dye is a colorant that was banned from cosmetics and non-oral medications decades ago due to a study showing it caused cancer when eaten by rats. The dye continued to be used in popular snack foods and other grocery products because it remained approved for use until now, according to the Associated Press. 

Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist Ilana Muhlstein shared her excitement about the recent ban with FOX News Digital, "finally" banning the synthetic dye that has been in candy, cereals and strawberry-flavored drinks for "far too long." 

"What is wild is that this decision comes over three decades after the same dye was banned in cosmetics like lipstick because there was enough evidence linking it to cancer in animals," she told Fox News Digital.

"For years, consumer advocacy groups and researchers have pushed for this change, citing not only cancer risks but also potential links to hyperactivity and ADHD in kids."

What food items contain Red 3 food dye

Dig deeper:

A number of food items and medications contain Red 3 food dye. 

Larger product categories include candy that is typically colored red, baked goods and snacks that may contain red icing, frozen food items containing strawberry-flavored milk, red-colored beverages, and even medication. 

According to the Associated Press, Swedish Fish and Wild Cherry Lifesavers, Pillsbury’s Funfetti Valentine’s Day Vanilla Frosting, Edy’s Strawberry Ice Cream, multiple maraschino cherry brands, and Robitussen Adult Cough all contain Red 3 food dye. These are just a few examples of items containing the newly banned dye.