After the Red No. 3 ban, there are now eight color additives approved by the FDA. They are FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Blue No. 2, FD&C Green No. 3, Orange B, Citrus Red No. 2, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5 and FD&C Yellow No. 6.

Brian Ronholm: Well, this is an issue that’s been percolating for quite a long time. Back in 1990, the FDA made the decision to ban Red 3 in cosmetics, and that was because it was linked to cancer in animals.

Red Dye No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is a synthetic food dye that gives foods and drinks a bright red color. It is also sometimes used in oral medicines and dietary supplements. It first was approved for use in food in 1907. It's made from petroleum.

The US Food and Drug Administration announced this month that it's effectively banning Red No. 3, the controversial artificial red dye found in food and drinks that's been linked to cancer. The decision comes 30 years after scientists first discovered links between the dye and thyroid cancer in animals.

Red dye No. 3 has been permissible for use in food despite the Delaney Clause of the FDA’s Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The clause, in part, “prohibits the FDA from approving a color additive that is ingested if it causes cancer in animals or humans when ingested,” according to the agency .

For decades, FD&C Red No. 3 has added its vivid cherry-red hue to candies and cupcakes—but its risks have been debated just as long.

The FDA banned Red Dye No. 3. The additive is found in over 9,000 U.S. products. Here's how to avoid it, and what to reach for instead.