DeLauro, House Lawmakers Call for Federal Ban on Carcinogenic Food Dye

Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) led a letter with 22 House lawmakers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to finalize a ban on the carcinogenic food dye FD&C Red No. 3, known as Red 3, in the use of foods.

"A ban on Red 3 is not only statutorily required, but it is also feasible - alternatives are widely available," the lawmakers wrote. "Thirty-four years of inaction is far too long. We are calling on the FDA to use its regulatory authority to ban Red 3 from our nation's food supply before the end of this Congress."

In 1990, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of Red 3 in cosmetics and externally applied drugs, based on a study that found it caused cancer in rats. According to the Delaney Clause of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, the FDA is required to ban any food additive that is found to cause cancer in humans or animals.

The carcinogenicity of Red 3 is clear. The National Toxicology Program, the European Commission's Scientific Committee for Food, and the World Health Organization have all concluded that Red 3 causes cancer in animals. Red 3 was also determined by the state of California to cause neurobehavioral issues in children as well. There is no aesthetic reason good enough to justify a carcinogenic in the food supply.

Currently, the FDA is actively reviewing a petition filed by 24 food safety and consumer protection organizations, and scientists calling for the review Red 3's approval, which is still authorized for use as a color additive in food and ingested drugs. Despite having an obligation to rule on the petition within 180 days, the FDA has yet to do so.

"American consumers need to trust that the food in their grocery stores is safe, especially when it is marketed to children," the lawmakers continued. "It is time for the FDA to make good on its regulatory promise and remove this carcinogen from our food."

You can read the full letter here.