ALERT: FDA Bans Popular Ingredient Linked to Cancer

The Food and Drug Administration has said it is banning the use of Red No. 3, a synthetic dye that has long been used in the U.S. to color certain foods, such as candies and colored beverages, as well as some oral medicines and dietary supplements. Research shows Red No. 3 can cause cancer in animals, NBC News reported. Many food safety advocates have been concerned for decades about the substance’s presence in the U.S. food system. “We’re thrilled that the FDA has finally taken action to remove this unneeded color additive for the market and in so doing has followed the clear dictates of the law,” Dr. Peter Lurie, president and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), tells TODAY.com. “In the absence of lobbying by the industry, I think we would all expect this product to have been banned decades ago,” he adds. The colorant was banned from cosmetics and non-oral medications decades ago because a study showed it caused cancer when eaten by rats. But it kept appearing on the ingredient lists of popular snack foods and other grocery products because it remained approved for use until now. In a statement about...