Red 3
PlainFoodSafe flags Red 3 as a synthetic dye (banned). CSPI Chemical Cuisine rates it “Avoid.” It appears in 4,601 indexed US food products. FDA action is dated 2025-01-15.
1/5 from FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine
How common is vs other flagged additives?
Number of indexed products containing each of the most common flagged additives — Red 3 highlighted.
Indexed products containing each flagged additive. Source: Open Food Facts ingredient lists × FDA SAFFA × CSPI Chemical Cuisine.
Safety Concerns
synthetic_dye_banned
Safety Assessment
Red 3 has a lower safety score (1/5), indicating notable concerns from food safety researchers or advocacy organizations. Review the safety concerns above for specific details. Individuals with sensitivities should consider alternatives. CSPI recommends avoiding this ingredient.
What the Data Says About
Red 3 currently appears in 4,601 products across the OpenFoodFacts catalog we index, which gives a concrete measure of its footprint on US grocery shelves. Our internal safety score of 1/5 synthesizes FDA Substances Added to Food (SAFFA) regulatory status — currently "Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025)" — with the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Chemical Cuisine classification of "Avoid." These two frameworks capture different questions: regulators ask whether exposure at typical intake is acceptable, while consumer-advocacy groups examine cumulative dietary load and vulnerable-population risk.
Red 3 serves one or more technical functions in food manufacturing — stabilization, flavor, preservation, or structural role — which explains its presence across multiple product categories in our database. Inspection and outbreak records frequently trace back to control failures around functional additives, whether through batch contamination, undisclosed substitutions, or labeling mismatches that trigger recall classifications by the FDA.
Documented concerns for Red 3 include: synthetic_dye_banned Consumers with diagnosed sensitivities, pregnant individuals, and parents of young children generally benefit from reviewing product-level detail pages to see the specific items in our catalog that contain this ingredient.
Safety Profile at a Glance
| Source | Classification | Year |
|---|---|---|
| FDA SAFFA | Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025) | 2024 |
| CSPI Chemical Cuisine | Avoid | 2024 |
| PlainFoodSafe Score | 1/5 | 2026 |
| Product footprint | 4,601 products | OpenFoodFacts |
FDA SAFFA database, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings, OpenFoodFacts product index. See methodology.
Products Containing
Showing 50 of 4,601 products
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Red 3 safe to eat? ▼
Red 3 has a safety score of 1/5. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) rates it as "Avoid." FDA status: Banned (FDA revoked Jan 2025). Always check with a healthcare provider if you have specific dietary concerns.
What products contain Red 3? ▼
Red 3 is found in 4,601 products in our database, spanning various food categories and brands.
What does Red 3 do in food? ▼
Red 3 serves various technical functions in food manufacturing and processing.
Where does this ingredient safety data come from? ▼
Safety data comes from the FDA's SAFFA (Substances Added to Food) database, CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest) ratings, and the OpenFoodFacts product database. Product counts reflect items cataloged in OpenFoodFacts.