Red is the Impostor

Author: Nisa Keshwani

Date: January 20, 2022

Candy Corn (Source: Evan-Amos via Wikipedia Commons under Public Domain )

Although Halloween has come to an end, the craving for sweets has not. Candy corn is America’s favorite Halloween treat! But behind its sweet mask, candy corn is a monster made with poison.

According to the NCA (National Confectioners Association), around 35 million pounds of candy corn are sold every year. Brach’s is the top manufacturer of the sweet triangle treat. Food colorings used to make the confectionery include Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 40, and Red 3 (Brach’s Official Website). These colorings may be posed as harmless. However, the final ingredient, Red 3, is detrimental to human health.

The Food and Drug Administration has banned certain uses of Red Dye No. 3, affirming studies that have revealed excessively high doses of the color additive can cause cancer in laboratory animals. However, despite multiple studies emphasizing the negative impacts of red coloring, the FDA still allows it in food.

Other popular items that contain the Red 3 artificial coloring include Trolli Big Bold Bears, Hot Tamales, Star Brites Peppermint, and Nesquik’s strawberry milk. These major food corporations are attempting to cut down manufacturing costs by using harmful food dyes, and in turn, risking the health of their consumers.

The true horrors of food dye are being masked and it is necessary for this vast deception to be disproved by making the public aware of the poisons they are ingesting on a daily basis. Red Dye No. 3 is a carcinogen and is genotoxic, it must be banned for the safety of society!