Ingredient Index · E127

Is Red Dye 3 banned in Europe?

Restricted in EU

No: the EU never banned Red Dye 3 outright; it restricts erythrosine (E127) to cocktail and candied cherries, while the US went further and banned it from food entirely in January 2025.

E-number: E127CAS: 16423-68-0 Also seen as: Erythrosine, FD&C Red No. 3, E127

What the EU does

Contrary to most "banned in Europe" lists, the EU never prohibited erythrosine outright. Under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, E127 remains an authorized food color, but for exactly one use category: cocktail cherries and candied cherries (including Bigarreaux cherries in syrup), at a maximum of 200 mg/kg. Everywhere else in the EU food supply, it simply is not authorized, which in the European system amounts to the same thing as a prohibition: no listing, no market.

The reasoning traces to a 1987 study in which high doses of erythrosine produced thyroid tumors in male rats. EFSA re-evaluated E127 in 2011 and kept the narrow cherry authorization in place, setting an acceptable daily intake of 0.1 mg per kilogram of body weight, one of the lowest for any food color.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex II (E127); EFSA Journal 2011;9(1):1854

What the US does

This is the rare case where the US is now the stricter jurisdiction. On January 15, 2025, the FDA revoked the authorization for FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs, acting on a 2022 petition under the Delaney Clause, the provision that requires removal of any color additive shown to induce cancer in animals, at any dose, by any mechanism. Food manufacturers have until January 15, 2027 to reformulate; makers of ingested drugs have until January 18, 2028.

Worth noting what the FDA itself said when it acted: the way Red 3 causes cancer in male rats involves a rat-specific hormonal mechanism, and studies in humans have not shown the same effect. The ban is a legal consequence of the Delaney Clause, not a finding of demonstrated human harm. The agency banned the same dye from cosmetics back in 1990, then left it in maraschino cherries and candy corn for another 35 years.

Citation FDA, 90 FR 4628 (January 16, 2025); 21 CFR 74.303 (revoked)

Products that commonly contain it

Until the US phase-out completes in 2027, Red Dye 3 can still legally appear in American products including:

Candy hearts and seasonal candy (candy corn, Valentine's and Easter lines)
Maraschino and cocktail cherries
Popsicles and fruit-flavored ice pops
Cake-decorating gels and icings
Strawberry- and cherry-flavored beverages and snacks
Some oral medications and vitamin gummies (until January 2028)

What to look for on a label

On a US label, the same dye can appear under several names. Look for:

"FD&C Red No. 3" or simply "Red 3" in the ingredient list
"Erythrosine", the chemical name, more common on imported products
"E127", on products labeled for the EU market
Don't confuse it with Red 40 (Allura Red, E129), a different dye with a different regulatory story, still permitted in both jurisdictions

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Frequently asked questions

Is Red Dye 3 banned in Europe?

Not outright. The EU restricts erythrosine (E127) to cocktail cherries and candied cherries at a maximum of 200 mg/kg under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008. It is not authorized in any other EU food category.

Is Red Dye 3 banned in the United States?

Yes. The FDA revoked its authorization for food and ingested drugs on January 15, 2025. Food manufacturers have until January 15, 2027 to remove it; ingested drugs have until January 18, 2028.

Why did the FDA ban Red Dye 3?

The FDA acted under the Delaney Clause, which requires removal of any color additive shown to cause cancer in animals. A 1987 study found thyroid tumors in male rats at high doses. The FDA noted that the rat mechanism has not been shown to occur in humans.

Is Red Dye 3 the same as Red 40?

No. Red 3 is erythrosine (E127); Red 40 is Allura Red AC (E129). Red 40 remains legal in both the US and the EU, though EU products carrying it must display a warning about possible effects on children's activity and attention.

Related ingredients

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Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses