Red Dye 3 should be eliminated from Peeps marshmallow snacks, according to the advocacy and research group Consumer Reports, who are worried that it may cause cancer.
Consumer Reports said on April 3 that it is circulating an online petition requesting that Just Born Quality Confections, the company that makes Peeps, remove Red Dye 3 from all of its goods. Consumer Reports claimed that it began the petition after the corporation failed to respond to a letter it delivered on March 17 with the same request.
Michael Hansen, PhD, a senior staff scientist for Consumer Reports, stated in the statement that parents “should know that the purple and pink cultured Peeps they may be placing in their kids’ Easter baskets are produced with a chemical that is a proven carcinogen.” As there are readily accessible less hazardous substitutes, Just Born Quality Confections should discontinue using this hazardous food ingredient for producing its famous marshmallow delights.
In a statement sent through email, Just Born Quality Confections claimed that Red Dye 3 has FDA approval for use in candies and that all of its goods are produced in accordance with FDA guidelines. Moreover, the business stated that it is “constantly looking for ways to offer consumers broader options, including colors sourced from natural sources.”
Which Products Contain Red Dye 3?
Consumer Reports claims that the following Just Born products now employ Red Dye 3:
- Pink Marshmallow Chicks from Peeps
- Pink Marshmallow Bunnies from Peeps
- Lavender Marshmallow Peeps Chicks
- Lavender Marshmallow Bunnies from Peeps
- candy Hot Tamales
- Hot Tamales Peeps Marzipan Chicks
- Dessert Cake Peeps
- Chicks Peeps Fruit Punch Marshmallow
- Wild berry Marshmallow Bunnies from Peeps
Red Dye 3, sometimes referred to as FD&C Red No. 3 and erythrosine, is used in more than simply sweets. According to the Environmental Working Group, this coloring is presently present in about 3,000 food products sold in the US, including a range of packaged fruits, sauces, candies, drinks, and prepared meals.
What Are the Health Concerns Over FD&C Red No. 3?
Red Dye 3 was prohibited by the FDA from being used in cosmetics and topical medications in 1990 due to fears that the coloring was carcinogenic in test rats. Nevertheless, most goods, including confectionery and confections, which can still contain Red Dye 3 today, were exempt from this restriction.
A study review published in May 2019 in Foods found that certain studies have connected Red Dye 3 to behavioral and cognitive issues in youngsters and thyroid cancers in animals.
Consumer Reports and a number of other advocacy organizations joined the Center for Science in the Public Interest in requesting in a letter to the FDA in January that Red Dye 3 be eliminated from all foods, dietary supplements, and medications. In support of this, Consumer Reports submitted an online petition to the FDA that has over 35,000 signatures and requests that Red Dye 3 be banned.
Meanwhile, the state of California is exploring legislation that would outlaw Red Dye 3 and a number of additional colorings. According to Consumer Reports, they are one of the bill’s sponsors.