- A consumer group is urging the manufacturer of Peeps to remove a chemical linked to cancer.
- People should make informed decisions using ingredient lists, Just Born Quality Confections said.
A consumer group has warned that certain Peeps candies popular around Easter contain a chemical called red dye No. 3 that's been linked to cancer.
Nearly 3,000 products available in the US contain red dye No. 3, a bright cherry-red color found in some candies, including Peeps Pink Marshmallow Chicks and Peeps Lavender Marshmallow Chicks. Processed foods, such as imitation bacon, can also contain red dye No. 3.
On Monday, Consumer Reports, a nonprofit organization, asked consumers to sign a petition to persuade Just Born Quality Confections, the company behind Peeps, to stop using red dye No. 3. The consumer group said that the FDA ignored a letter with the same request in March. As of Thursday, more than 16,000 people had signed the petition.
The FDA told Insider it is "actively reviewing" the petition.
"Parents should know that the purple and pink colored Peeps they may be putting in their kids' Easter basket are made with an ingredient that is a known carcinogen," Michael Hansen, a senior staff scientist for Consumer Reports, said in a press release.
"Just Born Quality Confections should stop making its iconic marshmallow treats with this dangerous food chemical since other less risky alternatives are readily available," Hansen said.
Just Born Quality Confections told Insider that all of the candy it manufacturers complies with FDA regulations. "We also provide consumers with information on our packaging and our websites to help them make informed choices about our products," it said. The company said that it's exploring "colors derived from natural sources that can deliver the same visual impact and stability as their certified counterparts."
Here's what you need to know about red dye No. 3 to make an informed decision this Easter.
Red dye No. 3 is banned in beauty products because of possible cancer risk
Red dye No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is controversial because the FDA banned its use in cosmetics after its was linked to thyroid tumors in lab rats, but it can be added to food and drugs that are ingested.
A handful of consumer-advocacy groups want the FDA to ban red dye No. 3, also known as FD&C Red No. 3, in food products nationwide. In the European Union, its use is restricted (it's only permitted for use in certain cherries), but it's not banned. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the FDA said in 1990 that it would "take steps" to ban its use in foods, ingested drugs, and supplements — but those steps were never taken.
Red dye No. 3 may cause hyperactivity in some kids
Consumer groups say they're worried that red dye No. 3 poses a cancer risk for humans, citing studies that found it increased the rate of thyroid cancer in laboratory animals.
The chemical may also be connected to hyperactivity and other "neurobehavioral problems" in certain kids, with some more sensitive to the ingredient than others, a 2021 report from the Ohio Environmental Health Association said.
"Current federal levels for safe intake of synthetic food dyes may not sufficiently protect children's behavioral health," Lauren Zeise, the OEHHA's director, said at the time.
The International Association of Color Manufacturers, which represents the color-additives industry and color-user community, disagrees. "Colors are safely used in a wide variety of consumer products, are among the most widely studied food ingredients, and are subject to strict global regulatory requirements," its website says.
Color additives are listed on product labels so consumers can identify them, the FDA says. "Consumers who wish to limit the amount of color additives in their diets may check the food ingredient list on labels," the agency's website says.
Consumer Reports is advocating for a bill in California to ban the sale of processed food that contains red dye No. 3 and other additives not allowed in Europe such as brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and titanium dioxide, which is found in candies like Skittles.
If the bill passes, supporters in California hope that other states will follow.