U.S. regulators have banned the dye Red 3 from food products due to its cancer risk, nearly 35 years after it was prohibited in cosmetics.

The FDA’s decision follows a petition from health advocates, citing studies that showed the dye caused cancer in lab rats.

The ban applies to food, dietary supplements, and oral medicines but not to external products like cosmetics.

Manufacturers have until January 2027 to remove it from food, and until 2028 for ingested drugs, the Associated Press has reported.

Consumer groups praised the decision, while some manufacturers may challenge it, as the cancer risk to humans remains unclear.

Written by B.C. Begley