BILLINGS — A Billings family is cheering the FDA's decision this week to force food companies to remove the artificial food coloring known as Red Dye No. 3.
“The things they hide food dyes in, it's crazy. We have to constantly be reading labels,” Alyssa Biddle said on Thursday. “It's been an amazing journey to see the difference in all of (her kids') behavior.”
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration removed authorization for FD&C Red No. 3 or Red 3.
Studies show it can cause cancer in rats though it hasn’t been confirmed to cause cancer in humans. Health advocacy groups have spent years trying to get it off the shelves. In 1990, the dye was banned in cosmetics.
The FDA said the decision is a "matter of law" citing the Delaney Clause, which prohibits chemicals being added to food that has been shown to cause cancer in animals or humans.
Red 3 can be found in a variety of foods from candy, frosting and strawberry milk to oral medication. Food manufacturers have until January 2027 to remove the dye from their products. Drug makers have until January 2028.
Biddle thinks twice when it comes to what she feeds her three kids. Two years ago, the family stopped feeding the kids foods with synthetic food dyes.
Between Biddle and her siblings, their parents have 14 grandchildren. The whole family has cut out the dyes.
"There's lots of kids, and we all kind of, within a month of each other, cut out food dyes completely," she said. “At first it can feel really overwhelming. The more people we heard were going off food dyes, and I was like, "That's just like, it seems so daunting."
Biddle said they now know the "safe foods" that don't contain Red 3 when grocery shopping. She does admit the alternatives sometimes are more expensive, but her kids heath and well being is invaluable.
"Our oldest daughter, I think we've seen the biggest difference. So, she used to have really bad night terrors. She would go into the state where you couldn't talk to her. It was like there was a brick wall in front of her, and she could not hear you, see you, she'd just be screaming. It was scary. It was scary for other kids. It was really hard. And she would even sometimes do that during the day. But since we've cut out food dyes, that's not even an issue at all," Biddle said. "With our other kids, they can regulate their emotions really well now. There's not as many fits."
When she heard to news about the FDA banning the dye, she was excited.
"It is only Red Dye 3, but it's still a huge step," Biddle said. “Hopefully there'll be more and more research. And I think a big way, not only is legislation important, but also just pressuring those brands that are refusing to take food dye out of their food, especially things that don't even need it.”
