A synthetic color additive made from petroleum and chemically known as erythrosine, red dye No. 3 is used to give foods and beverages a bright cherry-red color.

The move acts on a November 2022 petition submitted by multiple advocacy organizations and individuals, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Environmental Working Group, which cited links to cancer. The decision by the federal agency also follows in the footsteps of California, whose government banned the additive in October 2023.

A few other studies have cast further doubt on the safety of red No. 3, including a 2012 report that found a link between the additive and cancer in animals. That same year, researchers concluded artificial food colorings “are not a main cause of (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), but they may contribute significantly to some cases, and in some cases may additively push a youngster over the diagnostic threshold.”