The federal government is banning the long-used synthetic food dye Red No. 3 after further linkage to cancer in test study animals, according to new information.

The recent decision is a victory for food safety advocacy groups who’ve been petitioning the FDA for years to end its use because they say, it’s in some products that aren’t even detectable just based on the color alone.

The FDA's ban on FD &C Red No. 3, also known as Red 3, will not go into effect until January 2027 for food products and beverages and January 2028 for consumable medications, meaning products containing Red 3 will still be on the market for the next two years.