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The colorful History of Red No. 3
Synthetic dyes date back to 1856 when the color mauve was first crated from coal tar oil.
The new hues quickly replaced fruit, vegetable and mineral colorings which had previously been used.
By the turn of the century approximately 80 different dyes had been developed, and were used indiscriminately in foods. With the passage of the Food and Drug Act in 1906 most of them were banned. Others were created to take their place and in 1907 twenty-four were in use. In the years which have followed all but seven have been discontinued or banned as health hazards.
In 1960 Congress directed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prove the dyes in use at that time were safe. The agency was given two and a half years to complete the task. Meanwhile, the dyes then in use were given a “provisional” status, permitting their continued use while the testing was carried out. After the allotted time had gone by testing was still not complete, and the provisional use was extended.
More than 40 years ago, researchers found that Red Dye 3 (erythrosine) caused serious problems.
Red 3 has received attention from researchers as it is seen as a possible trigger for learning and behavioral problems. Dr. Herbert Levitan, at the University of Maryland, found that the dye disrupted the nervous and muscular systems of test animals (Science, Vol 207, 1980). Lafferman and Silbergeld of the National Institute of Neurological & Communicative Disorders also experimented with the effects of this dye on laboratory animals. They reported their work suggests a connection between food dyes and hyperkinesis in children. ("Animal Studies Show that Artificial Food Dyes are Associated with Hyperactivity.” News & Features from NIH, National Institutes of Health, March 1981)
Year after year FDA granted additional temporary extensions to the provisionally listed dyes, and by 1985 members of Congress were exasperated. The Committee on Government Operations issued a report highly critical of FDA and its parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services. The report cites unethical governmental practices and excessive influences of the industry lobbies, particularly the Cosmetic, Toiletries and Fragrances Association and the Certified Color Manufacturers Association.
In January of 1985 the Public Citizen Health Research Group filed suit against FDA for their failure to ban ten dyes, including Red 3, which had been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals. The Delaney Clause of the Food Drug, and Cosmetic Act states that any food additive known to cause cancer in humans or animals may not be deliberately added to foods. In October of 1987 Public Citizen won their case in the U.S. Court of Appeals. The judges’ decision affirmed that FDA was in violation of the law by permitting the continued use of this dye.
During the Reagan administration the Food and Drug Administration lost much of its authority over the regulation of food additives to the political appointees in the Department of Health and Human Services and the Offices of Management and Budget. Gradually, a growing number of lawyers from Monsanto moved into positions of authority at the Food and Drug Administration and industry influence grew even greater.
And all these years later, the only restrictions put on Red 3 is that it is not allowed to be used in some foods and in the wax coating on cheese.
Way back in 1962, while the Food and Drug Administration still enjoyed some freedom from the control of various industries, the agency took steps to remove (“delist”) Red dye 3 from the U.S. food supply. Because the dye had been found to cause cancerous tumors in animals, it was illegal to use it in food.
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