And lest anyone get too terribly alarmed, the level of Red No. 3 in foodstuffs is only a very tiny fraction of what was once in cosmetics (parts per 500,000, compared to parts per 10,000 in old cosmetics) -- which were banned in 1990, under the so-called Delaney Clause. I would like to believe that we will continue to see aggressive reviews like this one as to our food supplies, but my concern is that Tangerine 2.0 may well work to undo even these modest changes.
Still, it is true that the concentration of dye in most people's diets would be, over a life-time, less than 1/100,000th of what old cosmetics delivered in just about a ten year span of daily use. [And the substance was shown to cause cancer only in rats that ate it as over 5% of their diet -- in a pure form. Not in humans, ever.]
Even so, I just hope all the current FDA Commissioners resolve to keep their seats until 2.0's clock runs out -- whenever that may be -- even if it is all the way to 2028. Here's the latest, from PBS:
. . .The agency said it was taking the action as a “matter of law” because some studies have found that the dye caused cancer in lab rats. Officials cited a statute known as the Delaney Clause, which requires FDA to ban any additive found to cause cancer in people or animals.
The dye is known as erythrosine, FD&C Red No. 3 or Red 3. The ban removes it from the list of approved color additives in foods, dietary supplements and oral medicines, such as cough syrups. More than three decades ago, the FDA declined to authorize use of Red 3 in cosmetics and externally applied drugs because a study showed it caused cancer when eaten by rats. Food manufacturers will have until January 2027 to remove the dye from their products, while makers of ingested drugs have until January 2028 to do the same. . . .
Now you know. Onward to another Rudy grilling tomorrow! Smile.
नमस्ते
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