Some CPGs have already taken steps to phase out FD&C Red No. 3, including Just Born, which removed the dye from its Peeps products after the 2024 Easter season.
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April 2025’s FDA announcement on petroleum-based syntenic dye phase outs has the food manufacturing world on alert. The FDA previously communicated a preference for six dyes to be removed from the food supply by the end of 2026 with FD&C Red No.3 to be phased out from products by January 2027. However, the April notice saw the organization prefer the removal of Red No. 3 even sooner. Still, manufacturers must do their due diligence for a smooth transition to alternative ingredient replacements.
