Here’s what the U.S. ban on Red Dye 3 means for Canada

On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the use of the dye Red Dye 3 in food and ingestible drug products.

The move came a few years after a petition highlighted that Red No. 3, also called erythrosine, was shown to cause cancer in rats during research. The ban on erythrosine-containing foods will become effective on January 15, 2027, and for medicines, it will follow on January 18, 2028.

What does all this mean for the future of Red Dye 3 in the True North?

Will Red Dye 3 be banned in Canada?

Currently, Red No. 3 is not banned in Canada and may be found in certain candies, fruit preserves, liquor, and even savoury products like meats and canned seafood.

Instead of erythrosine, you’re more likely to find Allura Red AC, aka Red 40, in the ingredient lists of snacks in grocery stores.

“[Erythrosine] has been permitted for use as a food colour in Canada and internationally for many years,” Health Canada told us in an email.

The government’s list of permitted food colours sets out the foods it can be used in and the maximum level of use in those foods. When used as a food colour, it must meet food-grade specifications following Canada’s food and drug regulations.

Health Canada said that under the Delaney Clause, the U.S. must ban food additives found to cause cancer in humans or animals. Two studies showed that high-level exposure to Red Dye 3 caused cancer in male rats due to “a rat-specific hormonal mechanism which does not exist in humans,” thereby triggering a requirement for a ban.

“Studies in other animals and in humans did not show these effects, and claims that the use of this colour in food puts people’s health at risk are not supported by the available scientific evidence,” the department added.

Officials also noted that in 2018, the Joint United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives re-evaluated the safety of Red Dye 3 as a food additive and concluded that dietary exposure to it did not present a safety concern.

Health Canada reviewed the evaluation and concluded that, given the levels of erythrosine allowed in Canadian food, there was no risk to the general Canadian population.

However, if new scientific data demonstrates that it poses a human health risk as an ingredient in drugs or food, the national health regulator “will take action to mitigate that risk, including, if necessary, no longer permitting it to be used as a colouring agent in food and drugs.”

Was Hershey’s Cherry Blossom candy discontinued due to Red Dye 3?

On Friday, Hershey’s Canada announced that it would discontinue the production of its Cherry Blossom candy in the country. A customer service representative told us that the decision was made this month, and some big retailers had already run out of cherry blossom. The remainder are expected to run out of stock during Q2.

The manufacturer did not provide a reason for discontinuing the product. Still, the timing led to some speculation on social media that the move may be related to the U.S. ban on Red No. 3, which is sometimes used to colour maraschino cherries.

Though the candy vaguely listed “colour” in its ingredient list, it isn’t Red No. 3.

We asked the confection giant what colour was used in Cherry Blossom candies and confirmed it was Allura/Red 40. Additionally, earlier this week, Hershey’s told a Twizzlers fan on X that it does not use Red No. 3 in its products.

Hence, any relation is unlikely despite the ban and the product discontinuation happening around the same time.