Those cherries on top of Grandma’s holiday treat may have been poisoned. Yes, those syrupy, gooey bursts of flavor are, in fact, toxic. The culprit is… red food dye. On January 15, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement prohibiting the use of Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs. This sudden change was in line with the Delaney Clause, a provision of the Color Additives Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. This clause was added over sixty years ago, but the FDA is only now adjusting its policies to comply with the regulations.

Alas, the FDA has acknowledged the harmful reality of Red 3. It is not just a pop of color; it is a carcinogen and toxin. High doses of Red 3 were shown to be linked to thyroid tumors in murine models. Millions of consumers have fallen victim to purchasing these toxic products. From Brach’s candy corn to Nesquik strawberry milk and the infamous Maraschino cherries, numerous products have had Red 3 on their list of ingredients. These products are now switching to alternative ingredients such as natural colorings and other FDA-approved synthetic dyes.

After interviewing community members, we found that most were unaware of this new ban. Mariana, a high school student, said, “I had no idea this food dye is so poisonous. I add [Maraschino] cherries to all my pastries! That’s scary.” Another person questioned, “Why wasn’t this information made publicly available on food labels to warn us?”

Unlike the United States, the European Union has banned Red 3 in food products since 1994. Although the FDA has been aware of the potential risks of ingesting Red 3 since the nineties, the organization has only implemented the ban now. But why? The agency faced pressure from the food industry to permit the use of the dye. Companies, like those that sell Maraschino cherries, lobbied against bans, ultimately postponing the removal of Red 3 from food products.

In the past few years, new policies were put into place regarding food oversight. Specifically, the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2024 is rebuilding the food safety system by “shifting the focus from responding to foodborne illness to preventing it.” The primary focus of this law is to address the root causes of infections for both human and animal food. So, the next time Grandma bakes a tray of pastries, remind her to throw away the three-year-old jar of signature Maraschino cherries sitting at the back of the pantry. Here’s to protecting the future from Red 3!