FDA Revokes Authorization for the Use of FD&C Red No. 3, Cites Studies Showing Cancer Risk in Rats

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration has revoked the authorization for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 under the Delaney Clause, citing two studies showing cancer in laboratory male rats who were exposed to high levels of the food additive.

In a Jan. 15 press release, the federal agency noted that the way that Red No. 3 was shown to cause cancer in male rates “does not occur in humans.”

“Relevant exposure levels to FD&C Red No. 3 for humans are typically much lower than those that cause the effects shown in male rats,” the FDA …