FDA bans Red No. 3, artificial coloring used in beverages, candy and other foods

1. The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it's banning the use of Red No. 3, a synthetic dye that gives food and drinks their bright red cherry color but has been linked to cancer in animals. The FDA's decision marks a victory for consumer advocacy groups and some U.S. lawmakers who have long urged the FDA to revoke the additive's approval, citing ample evidence that its use in beverages, dietary supplements, cereals and candies may cause cancer as well as affect children's behavior. Do you agree with the FDA's decision to ban Red No. 3?

2. Food manufacturers will have until Jan. 15, 2027 to reformulate their products. Companies that make ingested drugs, such as dietary supplements, will get an additional year. "The FDA cannot authorize a food additive or color additive if it has been found to cause cancer in human or animals," Jim Jones, the FDA's deputy director for human foods, said in a statement. "Evidence shows cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No. 3." Are you concerned that some food or drinks won't taste as good without red dye 3?

3. Red Dye No. 3, approved for use in foods in 1907, is made from petroleum. The FDA first became aware that the additive was possibly carcinogenic following a study in the 1980s that found tumors in male rats who were exposed to it in high doses. Do you think Red Dye 3 should have been banned earlier?

4. Red No. 3 is already banned or severely restricted in places outside the U.S., including Australia, Japan and countries in the European Union. Do you think Canada should also ban Red Dye No 3?