Do global experts agree with 1987 rat tests linking red dye 3 to tumors?
Research question: What IPCS, JECFA, or other international evaluations of erythrosine exist, and how do their thyroid tumor conclusions compare with the 1987 rat study and the later non-genotoxic finding?
The records show that the JECFA monograph on erythrosine was prepared at the 86th meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, in 2018 1. Europe permits erythrosine (E127) only for producing cocktail cherries, syrup-preserved cherries, and candied cherries 2. Zuno et al. (1994) suggested that erythrosine's lack of clastogenic potential supports a non-genotoxic mechanism for its carcinogenicity 3. The provided facts do not state the thyroid tumor conclusions of JECFA, the European authorities, or the 1987 rat study, so they cannot be compared directly 123. The newest fact is the January 2025 US FDA ban on Red No. 3 (erythrosine), about 21 months before October 2026, and it is a regulatory action rather than a thyroid tumor evaluation 4.
Sources
"Based on comments and information received, the following revisions are proposed to align Erythrosine with the JECFA monograph for Erythrosine prepared at the 86th meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA Monograph 22; 2018):"Erythrosine
"Erythrosin darf in Europa ausschließlich für die Produktion von Cocktailkirschen, in Sirup eingelegten Kirschen und kandierten Kirschen verwendet werden."Cocktailkirsche
"that the lack of a clastogenic potential provides support for the non-genotoxic mechanism of the carcinogenicity"Toxicity of food colours and additives: A review (2015)
"FDA bans Red No. 3, artificial coloring used in beverages, candy and other foods."Erythrosin