Red Dye 3 (also listed as FD&C Red No. 3 or erythrosine on ingredient labels) shows up in a surprisingly wide range of foods and medications. It’s a synthetic colorant that gives products a bright cherry-red or pink appearance, and it has been used in candy, baked goods, frozen desserts, frostings, and certain oral medications. The FDA announced plans to revoke its authorization for use in food and ingested drugs, but products containing it are still on shelves during the transition period.
Foods That Commonly Contain Red Dye 3
Red Dye 3 appears most often in brightly colored processed foods. The main categories include:
- Candy: Conversation hearts, candy corn, certain gummy candies, and other brightly colored sweets are among the most common sources. If a candy is pink or red and comes in a package, check the label.
- Cakes, cupcakes, and cookies: Packaged baked goods with pink, red, or festive-colored frosting or dough frequently rely on Red Dye 3 for color.
- Frostings and icings: Both store-bought tubs and the decorative icing on pre-made baked goods often list it as an ingredient.
- Frozen desserts: Certain popsicles, ice cream bars, and strawberry-flavored frozen treats use it.
- Other processed foods: Some fruit snacks, flavored popcorn, and snack cakes also contain it.
The common thread is color. If a food is artificially red, pink, or has colorful decorations, Red Dye 3 is a likely ingredient. It’s less common in beverages and savory foods, where Red 40 (a different synthetic dye) tends to dominate.
Medications and Supplements
Red Dye 3 isn’t limited to food. It’s used in certain ingested drugs as well, particularly in colored capsule shells, chewable tablets, and liquid syrups. Children’s medications with pink or red coloring are a common source. Some dietary supplements and vitamins also use it. The FDA’s revocation covers ingested drugs in addition to food, which means pharmaceutical manufacturers will need to reformulate as well. If you want to check a specific medication, the inactive ingredients are listed on the label or the product’s drug facts panel.
How to Spot It on a Label
On U.S. food labels, it’s listed as “FD&C Red No. 3,” “Red 3,” or sometimes by its chemical name, “erythrosine.” It may also appear simply within a parenthetical after “artificial colors” or “color added.” In the European Union, it goes by “E127.” If you’re actively trying to avoid it, scanning the ingredient list near the end (where colors are typically grouped) is the fastest approach.
Why Red Dye 3 Is Being Phased Out
The concern dates back decades. Animal studies found that high doses of Red Dye 3 caused thyroid tumors in rats. Based on that evidence, the FDA banned it from cosmetics and externally applied drugs back in 1990, but continued to allow it in food. That inconsistency persisted for over 30 years until the FDA finally moved to revoke authorization for food and ingested drugs as well.
The international safety threshold set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives is 0.1 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. For a 150-pound adult, that works out to roughly 7 milligrams daily. Most people consume far less than that from food alone, but the FDA’s decision was based on the Delaney Clause, a legal provision that prohibits any food additive shown to cause cancer in humans or animals, regardless of dose.
Timeline for Removal
Products containing Red Dye 3 won’t disappear overnight. The FDA’s revocation gives manufacturers time to reformulate. California went further with the California Food Safety Act, which bans the manufacture, sale, and distribution of food products containing Red Dye 3 starting January 1, 2027. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $5,000 for a first offense and $10,000 for each subsequent violation.
During this transition, you’ll still find Red Dye 3 in many products on store shelves. If you want to avoid it now, reading ingredient labels is your only reliable option.
What Manufacturers Are Using Instead
Companies reformulating their products have several options. Some are turning to Red 40, another synthetic dye that remains authorized (though it has its own critics). Others are switching to natural alternatives. Beet juice concentrate and carmine (derived from cochineal insects) are two of the most established natural red colorants already in wide use.
Researchers at Ohio State University have also developed more durable plant-based options using anthocyanins, the natural pigments found in blackberries, red cabbage, and grapes. Traditional natural colorants tend to break down when exposed to heat, light, or common additives like vitamin C. The newer versions, called pyranoanthocyanins, hold their color under those conditions, making them more practical for packaged foods that sit on shelves for weeks or months.