Whether you’re packing school lunches or tossing a few snacks in your purse for a busy day, a lot of the foods on this list are a convenient way to ward off being hangry. What you may not realize is that some of your go-to snacks contain a highly controversial ingredient that’s now been banned by the federal government. 

After years of Consumer Reports advocating that the Food and Drug Administration ban use of an ingredient called Red 3 in food products, the state of California took matters into their own hands. The additive has been banned from foods in several countries like Japan, China, the UK, New Zealand and the European Union (with the exception of a few cherry products.) With the federal government failing to act, California passed a law in 2023 that gave manufactures until 2027 to remove Red 3 from their recipes or their products could not be sold in California. 

READ MORE: 9 Everyday Foods That Are Legal in Idaho, Banned Abroad 

Flashforward to January 2025? With several other states exploring similar legislation, including Washington State, the federal government finally decided to act. The FDA recently announced that use of Red 3 will become illegal in every state, including Idaho, beginning January 15, 2027. Drug makers must remove it from their medications by the same date in 2028.

Why Is Red 3 Dangerous?

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The food additive is made from petroleum and Consumer Reports says that it’s a known carcinogen. When fed to lab rats, those who ingested a large amount of the artificial coloring ended up developing thyroid tumors. The publication also suggested that Red 3 could be connected to hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in kids.  

Manufacturers Already Working to Remove Red 3 From Products

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We knew that after California banned the dye that many manufacturers like Kellanova (formerly Kellogg’s,) Nabisco, Kroger and Walmart would probably get to work on coming up with new recipes. It was highly unlikely that they’d make two versions of the same product just to appease one state. 

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Since we initially shared a list of foods containing Red 3 sold in the Boise Area with you in August 2024, Kroger (Fred Meyer’s parent company) has removed it from their Cherry Mixed Fruit Cups.

 

Just Born, the manufacturers of Peeps, also made a very public declaration that beginning in 2025, the dye wouldn’t be in their products anymore. Several varieties of Peeps were at the center of some of Consumer Reports’ advocacy to end use of the additive. 

What Products Contain Red 3 in Idaho?

Right now, thousands of products have Red 3 in them. We searched for some of the most common ones that you’ll find on the shelves at Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Walmart and other retailers across the state. All of these products list Red 3 as an ingredient and are currently in stock at at least one Boise area store. 

13 Popular Foods Sold in State of Idaho May Be Linked to Cancer

Red 3 is a known carcinogen. You can read about how it can affect the body HERE. These products currently contain the soon to be illegal additive.

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

KEEP READING: 9 Forbidden Foods That Are Banned in Idaho

Due to government regulations, these are foods that are forbidden in most of the United States.

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

9 Everyday Foods That Are Legal in Idaho, Forbidden Elsewhere

These foods are easy to find on store shelves at Albertsons, Winco or wherever you buy your groceries in the United States, they're banned in other places!

Gallery Credit: Michelle Heart

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