Health Concerns of the Ingredient:
Overall Hazard
Developmental &
reproductive toxicity
Allergies & immunotoxicity
About FD&C RED 3: Acid Red 51 is classed chemically as a xanthene color.
This ingredient may be derived from animals. From PETA's Caring Consumer: Pigments from animal, plant, and synthetic sources used to color foods, cosmetics, and other products. Cochineal is from insects. Widely used FD&C and D&C colors are coaltar (bituminous coal) derivati ... read more
This ingredient may be derived from animals. From PETA's Caring Consumer: Pigments from animal, plant, and synthetic sources used to color foods, cosmetics, and other products. Cochineal is from insects. Widely used FD&C and D&C colors are coaltar (bituminous coal) derivatives that are continously tested on animals due to their carcinogenic properties. Alternatives: grapes, beets, turmeric, saffron, carrots, chlorophyll, annatto, alkanet.
Function(s): Colorant
Synoym(s): ACID RED 51, ERYTHROSINE; FOOD RED 14; JAPAN RED 3; RED 3; RED NO. 3; TETRAIODOFLUORESCEIN SODIUM SALT; RED NO. 3
Use restrictions
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | FDA Color Additive Status |
| Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | CTFA International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook |
| Violation of government restrictions - Restricted in cosmetics; use, concentration, or manufacturing restrictions - Color additive not approved by FDA for cosmetics used around eyes (only for products for use around the eyes) | FDA Color Additive Status |
Data gaps
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| 617 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results -> | NLM PubMed |
Ecotoxicology
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Not suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
| Concern |
Reference |
|---|
| Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data Sources
| CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association). 2006. International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook, 11th Edition. Color Additive Information. Washington, DC. |
| EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry. |
| FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Color Additive Status List. September 2006. |
| NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov. |
Products Containing the Ingredient
About the ratings
EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any.
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