Red 3
Flavors + Colors
Potentially Harmful
Details
Definition
Red 3 (Erythrosine) is a synthetic dye largely make of iodine. It is commonly used in candy, popsicles and cake decorating gels. Approved for use in food and ingested drugs. No longer approved for cosmetics, external drugs or lakes (another type of synthetic coloring).
AKAs
Red #3,RED NO. 3
Health Impact
Some people, especially children, may be sensitive to food dyes, and have experienced allergic reactions when consuming them. Artificial food dyes have also been linked to increased behavioral problems in children, especially those with ADHD, because they may cause chemical changes in the brain, inflammation, and depletion of minerals that are important to growth and development.
Sources
Potential impacts of synthetic food dyes on activity and attention in children: a review of the human and animal evidence
https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-022-00849-9Artificial Food Colors and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Symptoms: Conclusions to Dye for
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3441937/Color Additives History
https://www.fda.gov/industry/color-additives/color-additives-history#:~:text=Lakes%20for%20food%20use%20are,inks%20used%20to%20mark%20confectionery).Mechanisms of behavioral, atopic, and other reactions to artificial food colors in children
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23590704/Food Dyes: A Rainbow of Risk
https://cspinet.org/sites/default/files/attachment/food-dyes-rainbow-of-risks.pdfReading ingredients made easy. For quicker, healthier decisions.
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