Red no. 3: should you be avoiding it?

In January 2025, the FDA banned Red Dye No. 3 in the United States for use in food and injectable drugs.

But if you haven’t been closely following the news, you might be wondering: why was Red No. 3 banned, and what does this mean for home bakers?

What Is It?

Red No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is a synthetic food dye used to create bright red colors in various products. You’ll find it in foods like red velvet cake, red icing, red popsicles, and even medications such as Tylenol.

The main concern with Red No. 3 is its potential link to cancer and behavioral issues when consumed in high quantities. And if you want a truly vibrant red, you often need to use a lot of it.

How Does This Affect Me as a Baker?

All the food coloring with Red No 3

Technically, the ban won’t take effect until 2027, meaning Red No. 3 can still be used until then. However, if you’re like me, you might want to get ahead of the curve and start phasing it out now.

So, I went through my collection of food colorings and pulled out anything containing Red No. 3.

I was shocked by how many bottles had it. Of course, red food coloring was a given—but I also found it in unexpected shades like taupe, Wedgewood, and navy. A lot of blues and blue-based colors contained it as well, which was particularly frustrating since these are staples in my cookie decorating.

I ended up with an entire sheet pan full of food coloring that contained Red No. 3. And while I haven’t thrown them away yet, I keep them on my counter for a couple of reasons:

1. It’s painful to throw them out—it feels like tossing money in the trash.

2. I’ve been trying to find alternative uses for them. For example, at a recent bakers’ meetup, we used them for a fun activity.

Finding Alternatives

Since cutting out Red No. 3, I’ve been exploring natural food colorings and brushing up on my color theory. For example, taupe—one of my favorite shades—can be mixed using blue, pink, and yellow. Meanwhile, red neutralizes green, and yellow neutralizes purple.

I’ve also been experimenting with how much food coloring is too much, whether it’s natural or synthetic. There have been some trial-and-error moments, including issues with color bleeding and shades not matching what’s on the bottle.

That said, I’m glad I’m figuring this out now rather than scrambling in late 2026 when the ban is about to take effect.

What’s Next?

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about natural food colorings—how they taste, their color saturation, and even their smell. So, I’ll be sharing some short posts and videos reviewing different brands to give you my honest feedback.

Until then, I hope this post shed some light on what Red No. 3 is, where it’s commonly found, and how you can start making the switch now.

Until next time, cookie lovers!

— Ashley B.