US bans potentially carcinogenic food coloring

American authorities announced on Wednesday that they would ban a food coloring suspected of being carcinogenic, erythrosine, used by the food industry to give food a bright pink to red appearance, a major victory for consumer associations.

This controversial food additive had already been banned for more than 30 years in the United States in cosmetics and medicines applied directly to the skin, and its use is very severely restricted in Europe.