You find it in candies, cookies, and cakes. But by 2027, the dye known as Red No. 3 will be absent from the nation's food supply, banned by the Food and Drug Administration this week because it can cause cancer in animals.
Some states, however, have been wary about the synthetic dye for some time. California was the first state to ban it in 2023.
Now some are wondering if two other additives, potassium bromate and propylparaben, should be next on the FDA’s chopping block.
Potassium bromate is used in flour, while propylparaben is used as a preservative. Thomas Galligan, Principal Scientist for Food Additives and Supplements at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said these additives are associated with health risks including cancer and hormone disruption.
When it comes to potassium bromate, which is banned in California, Canada, Europe, and China, Galligan said the FDA isn’t acting fast enough to protect the American public.
“Federal law expressly prohibits the FDA from approving any food or color additive that causes cancer in humans or animals,” said Galligan. “So, potassium bromate is one that already should have been banned.”
RELATED STORY | FDA bans food additive Red No. 3 due to cancer risks
For consumers looking to avoid these additives, Galligan suggests taking extra time in the grocery store to scan ingredient lists.
“Grocery shopping is already time consuming enough that if you have to look at the ingredient list of every food you pick up in every aisle of the grocery store, it becomes even more burdensome for consumers,” said Galligan. “Really, it should be the FDA that is bearing that burden.”
Scripps News reached out to the FDA. The administration has yet to respond to a request for comment about calls to ban potassium bromate and propylparaben. Several states, like New York, Illinois, and Texas have taken their own action, proposing bills to ban these additives.
