Peeps, the popular marshmallow bunnies found in Easter baskets across the country each year, are being called out by Consumer Reports for containing a known carcinogen, Red Dye 3.
Earlier this year, Consumer Reports, a nonprofit dedicated to product testing and customer advocacy, urged the Peeps manufacturer, Just Born, to stop making Peeps with the cancer-causing ingredient, but the manufacturer has not announced any changes to the ingredients. Now, the nonprofit is alerting consumers ahead of Easter to think again about buying the colorful bunnies. Here’s the latest:
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Consumer Reports Issues Warning About 'Cancer-Causing' Dye In Peeps Ahead Of Easter
In a press release released this week, Consumer Reports alerted consumers that Peeps contain a "cancer-causing" dye, Red Dye 3, as discovered in studies by the National Institute of Health (NIH), which previously found the dye linked to cancer in animals. The study completed in 2012 recommended the dye be removed from foods in the US, yet manufacturers like those who make Peeps are still using the ingredient.
Michael Hansen, PhD, a senior staff scientist for Consumer Reports said, “Parents should know that the purple and pink colored Peeps they may be putting in their kids’ Easter basket are made with an ingredient that is a known carcinogen." He urged that “Just Born Quality Confections should stop making its iconic marshmallow treats with this dangerous food chemical since other less risky alternatives are readily available.”
There are dyes that are arguably considered safer made from fruits and vegetables that manufacturers could use, such as beet powder and extracted beta-carotene, but they likely do not provide the same vibrant color that the manufacturers are marketing. We know Peeps for their neon colors, which are especially enticing to children.
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Peeps And Other Popular Children's Snacks Contain Red Dye 3
As noted by the Consumer Reports press release, the ingredient is found in Peeps Pink Marshmallow Chicks, Peeps Pink Marshmallow Bunnies, Peeps Lavender Marshmallow Chicks, and Peeps Lavender Marshmallow Bunnies.
The dye is also an ingredient in other products the Just Born manufacturer makes, including Hot Tamales candy, Peeps Hot Tamales Marshmallow Chicks, Party Cake Peeps, Peeps Fruit Punch Marshmallow Chicks, and Peeps Wildberry Marshmallow Bunnies.
According to the report and the Environmental Working Group, more than 2,900 products in the US contain Red Dye 3. Peeps are an immediate concern ahead of the Easter holiday, but the dye can also be found in other popular children's snacks like cherry Dole Fruit Cups, Strawberry Nesquik Milk, Brach's holiday candies and jelly beans, and even seemingly healthy foods like vegetarian bacon from Morningstar and Vigo saffron rice.
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Peeps Candy Is A Known Carcinogen Banned In Europe
Now, Consumer Reports, alongside the Center for Science in the Public Interest, as well as over 35,000 consumers have signed a petition urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the ingredient. The petition calls out that Red Dye 3 has been banned in cosmetics for over 30 years, but the FDA has failed to place a ban on it in "food, medicines, and supplements."
In 1990, the FDA banned the dye in cosmetics, like lipsticks, and topical drugs, after analyzing research suggesting its link to thyroid cancer in male rats. Essentially, the FDA declared the dye unsafe to apply to the skin but has not prohibited it from being ingested. Color additives and dyes, like yellow food dyes and Red 40, are banned in the European Union, and Red Dye 3 is restricted for use only in cocktail and candied cherries, according to the European Food Safety Authority.
The callout from Consumer Reports follows a new California proposed bill that calls to ban Red Dye 3 and four other harmful additives already banned by the European Union. The bill will receive its first hearing on April 11. If it passes, California will be the first state in the nation to ban such additives.
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Young Children Are Most At Risk Consuming Red Dye 3
According to Consumer Reports, food safety experts say that young children are most at risk for both being enticed by the bright red dye and most affected by consuming the dye.
Tasha Stoiber, PhD, a senior staff scientist at the Environmental Working Group noted that young children are most vulnerable because of "their small body weight" which exposes them "to much more of these dyes in food."
Manufacturers Insist Peeps Still Safe To Eat
Fox News Digital received a statement from Just Born, who told the news outlet that "Red #3 is currently an approved colorant for use in candy by the FDA" so they will continue to use it. They continued, "We manufacture all our candies in compliance with FDA regulations, sourcing our ingredients and packaging exclusively from reputable suppliers who adhere to high quality and safety standards."
Still, the manufacturer admitted they are "exploring opportunities to provide expanded options" like "colors derived from natural sources that can deliver the same visual impact and stability as their certified counterparts." They haven't done so yet, so in the meantime, customers will have to use their own discernment when buying products with additive food dyes.
Admitting this truth, the company wrote, "We also provide consumers with information on our packaging and our websites to help them make informed choices about our products."
