When the FDA announced a ban on red No. 3 dye this week, the agency pointed to a law that says food additives cannot be approved if they are found to cause cancer. Research shows that when laboratory mice are exposed to high concentrations of Red 3, they develop cancer.

Food companies still have several years to eliminate petroleum-based Red 3 from their products. There are a variety of other synthetic food dyes on the market in different colors.

Some evidence suggests these synthetic dyes can have negative effects on children's behavior and mental health.

So, how should parents deal with this food supply? Here are some things to consider.

How do you know if Red No. 3 is food?

If it's a bright cherry red, that's your first clue that the product may contain Red No. 3 - but you'll need to check the ingredients label. The FDA requires food manufacturers to declare Red 3 and other synthetic colors on ingredient labels. Red No. 3 may be labeled "FD&C Red No. 3" or "FD&C Red No. 3" or simply "Red No. 3." As red dye No. 3 is phased out, you may see red dye No. 40 used as a replacement.

What are the health concerns associated with Red 3 and other food dyes?

The FDA's ban comes amid evidence that high doses of the dye cause cancer in lab rats, but there are also concerns that Red No. 3 and other synthetic food dyes may affect some children.

In a 2021 review of research institutes on synthetic dyes, the California Environmental Protection Agency found evidence that dyes consumed in food can negatively impact children's behavior. Of approximately 25 studies, more than half found a positive association between intake of artificial food colorings and behavioral outcomes such as inattention and hyperactivity.

How common is the use of Red No. 3 in food?

It is found in many foods. The Environmental Working Group prepared a list More than 3,000 consumer products contain Red No. 3, including everything from fruit cocktails to flavored milks, cake mixes to candies.

Manufacturers frequently reformulate their products, so the organization says it updates the list regularly. Label information is provided by Label INSIGHT, a company that collects detailed information on the ingredients of food sold in U.S. supermarkets.

How soon will it disappear from the food supply?

Food manufacturers have until January 2027 to eliminate Red No. 3 from their products. But some manufacturers can reformulate faster.

In light of restrictions in many parts of the world and a new law in California aimed at limiting the use of Red No. 3 and other synthetic food dyes, some companies are already exploring alternatives.

But consumer groups are concerned that some food companies may simply replace Red 3 with Red 40, which has also been linked to behavioral problems in children.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, which filed the petition to ban Red No. 3, wants the FDA to require warning labels on products containing other synthetic food dyes.

Some companies are working on creating natural food colorings from compounds in plants such as beetroot or spirulina (a type of blue-green algae). When Kraft Foods decided to remove synthetic food colorings from its macaroni and cheese products a decade ago, it replaced them with colors from spices like paprika and turmeric.

Red No. 3 is also used in drugs such as acetaminophen. Drugmakers have until January 2028 to eliminate the dye from their products.

What other food dyes are causing concern?

Last year, California passed a second law after an exhaustive review of existing evidence linking synthetic dyes to neurobehavioral problems in children. The bill prohibits the use of six other synthetic food colorings in public school meals, including Blue No. 1, Green No. 3 and Red No. 40.

Eugene Arnold, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Ohio State University, said the evidence for some dyes is stronger than others. For example, Yellow No. 5, also known as tartrazine, is associated with irritability, restlessness, and depression in some children. Evidence from animal studies suggests that several synthetic food dyes can affect memory and learning.

Although not banned, EU countries require foods containing Red 40 and some other synthetic dyes to carry health warnings, saying they may "adversely affect children's activity and attention."

Should parents avoid all synthetic dyes in their children's food?

"Don't panic" if your child comes home from a birthday party with bright blue frosting in her mouth, said Dr. Jennifer Woo Baidel, associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford University and a member of the American Council on Child Nutrition. Pediatric Society.

She advises parents to limit their children's intake of foods containing synthetic dyes as much as possible, "but small amounts may not make or break things," she says. Just occasionally and not on a routine basis.

Instead, she says, focus on your child's overall eating patterns. Most of their diet should include fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains. And avoid drinks with added sugar. Overall, this is just good nutritional advice.

Foods containing synthetic dyes are also often high in sugar, such as ultra-processed sugary drinks, juices, snacks and candies. The American Academy of Pediatrics has long recommended that parents limit these foods in their children's diets for other reasons as well.

But the occasional bright orange cheese puff is nothing to panic about.

This story was edited by Jane Greenhalgh