VOA健康报道2025--Red Coloring Linked to Cancer Risk Banned in US Foods

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned a chemical widely used to color some food products red. The ban of the coloring chemical, called dye, came nearly 35 years after it was removed from skin products because of a possible cancer risk.

A group of food safety and health supporters issued a petition in 2022 seeking to have the FDA ban Red No. 3 in food.

The earlier ban was ordered in 1990, after two studies showed Red No. 3 caused cancer in male rats eating high levels of the chemical. At the time, however, the FDA only acted to ban the coloring mixture in products put on the skin or in drugs taken by mouth.

Health activists² had long sought FDA approval to expand the ban to food products. In November, nearly two dozen members of Congress sent a letter demanding that FDA officials ban Red No. 3.

Some of the most common products containing Red No. 3 include sweets, icing, strawberry milk, maraschino cherries, strawberry protein drinks, as well as some gummy vitamins and medications.

The FDA said food manufacturers will have until January 2027 to remove the dye from their products.

Other countries still permit certain uses of the dye. But any imported products will still have to meet the new U.S. requirement. Red No. 3 is already banned for food use in Europe, Australia and New Zealand, except in certain kinds of cherries.

The dye will be banned in California starting in January 2027. And lawmakers in Tennessee, Arkansas and Indiana have also proposed limits on certain dyes, especially from foods offered in public schools.

Jim Jones is the FDA's deputy commissioner³ for human foods. He noted⁴ that even though the agency had established the new ban, “the way that FD&C Red No. 3 causes cancer in male rats does not occur in humans." FDA officials said the ban was enacted⁵ because of a U.S. rule called the Delaney Clause. This legal policy requires the FDA to ban any additive⁶ found to cause cancer in people or animals.

Dr. Peter Lurie is director of the consumer activist¹ group the Center for Science in the Public Interest. He helped lead the latest effort to remove Red No. 3 from food products. Lurie told The Associated Press, "This is a welcome, but long overdue⁷, action from the FDA.”

The International Association of Color Manufacturers has repeatedly said Red No. 3 is safe in levels usually taken in by humans. The group pointed⁸ to research carried out by scientific experts from the United Nations and the World Health Organization. One study, released in 2018, confirmed the safety of Red 3 in food.

Some food manufacturers have already changed their products to remove Red No. 3. One example is Sensient Food Colors, a St. Louis-based supplier of food colors and flavorings. In its place, the company uses beet⁹ juice, a dye made from insects and other coloring mixtures.

I'm Jill Robbins.

Jonel Aleccia reported this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English.

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Words in This Story

petition – n. an official request for someone in authority to do something

occur – v. to happen

consumer – n. a person who buys goods or services

overdue – adj. not appearing or presented by a stated, expected, or required time

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 additive   

adj.附加的；n.添加剂

参考例句：

• Colour is often an additive in foods.颜料经常是各种食物中的添加物。
• Strict safety tests are carried out on food additives.对食品添加剂进行了严格的安全检测。

7 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 beet   

n.甜菜；甜菜根

参考例句：

• He farmed his pickers to work in the beet fields. 他出租他的摘棉工去甜菜地里干活。
• The sugar beet is an entirely different kind of plant.糖用甜菜是一种完全不同的作物。