Peeps, Tylenol, Cheeetos, Vyvanse, and Skittles, from our favorite treats to essential medications, Red Dye 3 is prevalent almost everywhere in our American consumption.
In California, that will all come to an end soon as Governor Gavin Newsom has just signed a bill known as the California Food Safety Act banning the toxic dye along with three other additives from food and drug products.
We spoke with Aydin Nazmi, a Professor of Food Science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, he offered further insights on the impacts that Red Dye 3 along with the other banned additives have on our health as Americans
Aydin Nazmi: Exposures can have lifelong effects, So really bring these key developmental phases, you know, the first periods of growth, adolescence, puberty, keep toxins at a minimum, especially through the food supply. Red dye number three, due to pressure from advocacy groups, consumer groups, a lot of companies have already started removing it.
Back in the 90′s researchers found that prolonged and repeated exposure to Red Dye 3 caused thyroid cancer in lab-tested animals. After this discovery, the pigment was banned from beauty and cosmetic products across the U.S., but it’s remained a staple in Americans Diets for the past thirty years.
Jensen Jose: For nuances in the law, it was harder for them to make to make changes to their food regs than the cosmetic regs, because the cosmetic regs were provisional, provisionally reviewed or provisionally approved where the color additive regs were not provisional at the time I believe.
Jensen Jose, serves as Regulatory Counsel with the non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington D.C.
Jose: it’s good that we have that California decided to just go ahead and not wait for FDA to what you know, it’s been like 30 years is enough time more than enough time.
Companies manufacturing and distributing food within California have until January 2027 to comply with the new regulations.