A widely used artificial food coloring could soon be banned.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to ban an artificial substance food coloring called Red No. 3, also known as Erythrosine.
The synthetic dye, made from petroleum, is used as a color additive in foods and ingested medications to give them a “bright cherry red color,” according to an online statement from the FDA.
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“With Red 3, there is a petition before us to revoke the authorization board, and we are hopeful that we will act on that petition in the coming weeks,” said Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human nutrition. , a US Senate health committee told Thursday.
Dr. Marc Siegel joined “Fox and Friends” Monday to discuss the FDA’s possible ban on red food coloring. (Fox News)
The petition the FDA is reviewing cites the Delaney Clause, which states that the agency cannot classify a color additive as safe if it is found to be cause cancer in humans or animals, according to the FDA statement.
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and senior medical analyst for Fox News, joined “Fox and Friends” to discuss the possible ban on the food coloring, which he calls “scary stuff.”
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‘It’s forbidden skin products since the 1990s,” Siegel noted. “So I wonder why it’s not allowed in skin products? You know, something you can’t put on your face, but a kid can still eat it.”
Red No. 3 is banned in the European Union, Britain and most of Asia and Australia, the doctor pointed out.
“Finally they’re going to take it out of the food.”
“Why are we so late and why now?” he asked, attributing the move to the fact that “there’s a new marshal in town” – namely President-elect Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“And Jimmy Jones, head of the FDA’s Food Division, is now responding to petitions from the public, from consumers, and from the House of Representatives,” Siegel continued.
The synthetic dye, made from petroleum, is used as a color additive in foods and ingested medications to give them a “bright cherry red color,” according to an online statement from the FDA. (iStock)
“And they’re finally going to get it out of the food.”
The FDA is making this move now, according to Siegel, because “they know it’s going to happen one way or another. So they want to do it now.”
Potential Health Effects of Red No. 3
Previous research has raised concerns about the potential health risks associated with all nine food dyes approved in the US
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Red No. 3 in particular has been shown to cause cancer in animal studies.
It has also been linked to an increase in numbers Behavioral problems in childhood.
“It’s a shame that we have nine synthetic dyes in our food in the United States.”
‘They have studied it in high doses for cancer, but also for cancer for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder),” Siegel said.
“All of these food colorings could be linked to this – 26 studies appear to have shown this,” he continued.
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“It’s a shame that we have nine synthetic dyes in our food in the United States.”
Siegel said the FDA has previously stated “they cannot prove” it causes these conditions.
Nearly 3,000 foods appear to be Red No. 3, according to Food Scores, a database of foods compiled by the Environmental Working Group. (iStock)
“They don’t do enough post-market analysis when it’s already on the market,” he said. “They don’t study it enough.”
Nearly 3,000 foods appear to be Red No. 3, according to Food Scores, a database of foods compiled by the Environmental Working Group.
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The petition to remove Red No. 3 from food, supplements and medications was presented by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and 23 other organizations and scientists.
Fox News Digital reached out to the FDA seeking comment.
