Now that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned Red Dye No. 3, artificial food dyes are under increasing scrutiny.

Federal officials moved Wednesday to ban a controversial bright red dye used in drinks and snacks that has been linked to cancer in animals ... it is safer to use natural coloring derived from ...

But they also found out that some plants and animals (insects and mollusks) could yield color when mixed with hot water, and this was the origin of natural dyes. Pigments are suitable to be ...