The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated the removal of the color additive known as Red 3 from food and beverage items consumed by Americans.
Historically, this dye has been prohibited in cosmetics and non-oral drugs for several decades due to evidence from studies linking it to cancer in laboratory rats. Despite this ban, Red 3 continued to appear in various popular snack foods and grocery products because it remained approved for consumption until this recent directive.

Consumer groups are actively monitoring the presence of this dye in manufacturers’ offerings, prompting many companies to opt for safer alternatives.
Therefore, it is advisable for consumers to scrutinize food labels to ascertain whether the product contains Red 3, also referred to as erythrosine or FD&C Red No. 3.

Here are some categories of products where Red 3 is frequently found:

**CANDIES**
Red 3 is present in popular treats like Brach’s Conversation Hearts and Brach’s Candy Corn. In contrast, other red candies, such as Swedish Fish and Wild Cherry Lifesavers, are made with a different dye, Red 40.

**BAKED GOODS AND SNACKS**
Certain baked items, particularly those adorned with red icing, may contain Red 3. For instance, Betty Crocker’s Red Decorating Icing lists Red 3 among its ingredients. Conversely, Pillsbury’s Funfetti Valentine’s Day Vanilla Frosting opts for Red 40 in its formulation, despite its design featuring small red heart shapes.

**DAIRY AND FROZEN FOODS**
Red 3 can be found in strawberry-flavored products such as milk, ice cream, frozen yogurt, and popsicles. TruMoo Strawberry Whole Milk includes this dye, while alternatives like Edy’s Strawberry Ice Cream and Popsicle brand fruit pops use beet juice for their coloring instead.

**FRUIT PRODUCTS**
Many brands of maraschino cherries have transitioned to using Red 40, including several retailer brands from Walmart and Kroger. However, Kroger’s Extra Cherry canned fruit cocktail still contains Red 3.

**BEVERAGES**
The Ensure Original Strawberry Nutrition Shake is one of the drinks that includes Red 3. In contrast, numerous other beverages, such as Hawaiian Punch, Kool-Aid, Fanta, Jarritos strawberry sodas, and Faygo black cherry soda, utilize Red 40 for coloring.

**MEDICATIONS**
Consumer advocates point out that some gummy vitamins and medications might still have Red 3 as an ingredient. Nevertheless, many products have switched to natural dyes or different synthetic colorants. Examples include Vicks Formula 44, Luden’s, and Halls cough drops, which feature Red 40. Products like Mucinex Children’s Cough Syrup, Robitussin Adult Cough and Chest Congestion, and Vicks NyQuil Cold and Flu also opt for Red 40 instead.