PRIMERA RED DYE #3 UPDATE
As of January 16, 2025
This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”) announced a nationwide ban on Red Dye #3, citing years of studies linking the dye to cancer in laboratory animals. While no evidence has been found that Red Dye #3 causes cancer in humans, the FDA has likely taken this action out of an abundance of caution and a commitment to public safety. This development follows California’s recent law banning the popular food dye, and both regulations are set to take effect in January 2027. These changes represent a significant shift in food dye regulation in the United States and have important implications for Eddie owners and other industries relying on edible inks and food dyes.
Impact on Eddie Ink
The 2027 ban affects only the Eddie ink SKU sold in the United States, Canada, and other non-UK/EU countries. The UK/EU version of Eddie’s ink, which has never contained Red Dye #3, remains unaffected. Instead of Red Dye #3, the UK/EU ink uses Carmoisine for its magenta coloring. While Carmoisine could be an excellent alternative, it is unfortunately not permitted in the United States, as the FDA bans it as a food additive ingredient.
What This Means for Eddie Owners
For Eddie users, the FDA’s decision highlights the need to transition to compliant edible ink formulations. Our global ink partners are already working proactively to develop alternatives to Red Dye #3 to ensure compliance with both state and federal regulations while maintaining the vibrant, high-quality colors Eddie is known for.
Some have suggested switching to "all-natural" dyes, which is a great idea in principle. However, implementing such solutions presents significant challenges, including a severely limited color range, shorter shelf life, and even refrigeration requirements for magenta. There are few natural alternatives, because the FDA approves only a limited list of natural ingredients for food coloring purposes. Many other countries permit a broader range of sources, such as flowers and insects. Several of our ink partners are working on natural ink formulations, but progress has been slow.
We remain hopeful that the Red Dye #3 ban will encourage the FDA to loosen restrictions on additional natural ingredients. Such changes could open the door to an all-natural ink set that delivers the performance Eddie users expect.
Current Use of Red Dye #3
Until the ban takes effect, Red Dye #3 continues to be used in a wide range of everyday products, including:
Looking Ahead
Primera is committed to strongly supporting Eddie owners during this transition. We are actively collaborating with our global ink partners to ensure new ink formulations meet regulatory requirements while maintaining the print quality and performance you rely on.
As
these changes unfold, we will keep you informed with updates. If you have any
questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.
Together, we’ll navigate this transition and continue empowering you to create
exceptional designs on cookies and other edible items with confidence.