Red Dye No. 3 (Erythrosine)
A bright cherry-red synthetic colour in sweets and drinks.
71Low burden · out of 100
Cleaner swapColour from beetroot, paprika extract or carmine
How this score is built
- 100Start
- 86.2Chemical hazard 3 × 4.6−13.8
- 76Everyday exposure 3 × 3.4−10.2
- 71Persistence 2 × 2.6−5.2, then rounded to 71
- LowThe band71 sits in 60–79.
What each input rests on
| Input | Rating | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical hazard | 3/10 | unsourced input |
| Everyday exposure | 3/10 | unsourced input |
| Persistence | 2/10 | unsourced input |
Ratings are editorial. A study listed here supports the rating; it did not compute it. How the index is built
What this means for you
The US regulator revoked its authorisation in January 2025 — as a point of law, not of demonstrated human harm. The Delaney Clause forbids any additive that causes cancer in animals, and the agency stated plainly that the rat mechanism involved does not occur in people. A low priority next to real exposures.
Evidence strength: emerging
See where your whole exposure load is highest — free Exposure Score →This entry and the whole Index, on your phone.
