As red 3 is already illegal in cosmetic products, hundreds of candy and additional food items still use this chemical. According to Science in public interest, "Since the early 1980s FDA had evidence that Red 3 caused cancer in laboratory animals (2)." These results were only ruled as 'considered' but never good enough to make any real decisions. Red 3 makes up over 2,000 food brands in the United States. So when looking from an economical stand point, that would be a big lose. But when looking at the health of our public, it's not in our best interest to keep red 3 legal.
From CSPI president Dr. Peter Luire, "If the data were strong enough to ban Red 3 in cosmetics and external drugs 30 years ago, they’re surely strong enough to ban it today in foods, oral drugs, and dietary supplements (4)." Not only is the rise of cancer diagnosis a concern but what's also concerning is the fact that countries like Australia, United Kingdom and New Zealand have already banned red 3.
