US Food and Drug Administration moves to ban red food dye

The FDA is taking steps to ban red 3, which is derived from oil, amid concerns about its health effects

A red food dye that is ubiquitous in American drinks, snacks, candies and cereals may finally be banned by the federal government after years of concern that it has adverse health impacts, particularly upon children.

The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that it could soon act to crack down upon the additive known as red 3, derived from petroleum and used to provide a cherry-red coloring to an array of foods.