“Red No. 3” | A food coloring banned in the United States, but allowed in Canada

American authorities banned an artificial food coloring on Wednesday. But “red No. 3,” also known as erythrosine, remains legal in Canada. For what ?

Why did the United States ban erythrosine?

Professor at the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF) at Laval University, Sylvie Turgeon spent Wednesday evening going through the erythrosine file. In an interview, she indicated that an American NGO invoked a clause in a 1958 law to remind the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency responsible for monitoring foods and drugs, that a substance which causes cancer in animals could not be used in human food.

“I didn’t know the existence of this Delaney clause,” admits M.^me Turgeon. There is a study which shows that erythrosine causes cancer of the endocrine system in rats, with a mechanism that is not found in humans. This is the source that lit the fuse. Consumer organizations convinced California to ban this coloring in candy and children’s products. »

The American Candy Manufacturers Association told CNN it asked the FDA to rule on erythrosine because of California’s ban, which is being considered by several other states.

According to a study published in 2020 in the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, the Delaney clause was, until the 1980s, tempered by an interpretation linked to the risk to human health. Lawsuits from environmental groups then extended its application to certain pesticides, then, since 2018, to food additives.

Is erythrosine banned in Canada?

No, but its maximum concentration in each food is limited. “We don’t want a person to consume too much,” explains M.^me Turgeon.

The same approach applies to the European Union, where erythrosine is only approved for candied cherries.

The maximum safe dose is first calculated, then divided by 100, as a precaution, explains M.^me Turgeon. Next, it is determined how much erythrosine a normal person would consume with a typical diet. Again, a safety factor is introduced. “For example, for aspartame, a person would have to drink 20 cans of diet soft drinks per day to exceed the maximum safe dose,” illustrates M^me Turgeon.

Why does Europe only accept erythrosine for cherries? “Each population has different eating habits,” replies M^me Turgeon.

What foods is erythrosine used in?

Health Canada authorizes it for jams, candies, juices, ice creams, flavored milks, cake icings, marinades (such as ketchup) and seafood products, such as shrimp, anchovies and the lobster. Erythrosine is also used in cough syrups.

The American NGO Environmental Working Group calculated in 2022 that erythrosine was used in 2,876 food products in the United States, including a quarter of cake icings, and between 10% and 15% of candies and cookies.

Erythrosine was invented in 1907. It is derived from petroleum.

Consult the list of dyes authorized in Canada

Does erythrosine pose health risks?

The FDA cites two studies of rats “exposed to high levels of Red No. 3” that caused cancers “due to rat-specific hormonal mechanisms.” Studies in other animals “do not show this effect,” adds the American agency.

“Claims that Red No. 3 in food and drugs endanger people’s health are not supported by available scientific information,” the FDA concludes.

Health Canada adds that a UN committee on food additives re-evaluated erythrosine in 2018 and concluded that it “did not present a danger”.

“The FDA has given the food industry until 2027 to eliminate erythrosine,” reports M.^me Turgeon. This shows that it’s not urgent. »

When it banned erythrosine in 2023, California cited studies showing that the dye potentially affected children’s behavior.

What can it be replaced by?

Natural red dyes from beets and red cabbages have replaced artificial dyes for a decade, says M^me Turgeon. “There have been studies linking dyes with hyperactivity in children. This prompted some companies to switch to natural colors, because there were concerns among consumers. »

According to her, Smarties are the example par excellence. These treats, which are now made with natural colors, remain popular. “Artificial colors are more stable and have more vibrant colors, but if consumers have no problem consuming products with less vibrant colors, manufacturers will meet their expectations. »