The U.S. on Wednesday banned the use of a synthetic food dye that gives some candies, cakes and certain oral medications a cherry-red color, following evidence that the dye causes cancer in laboratory rats.

The FDA banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 based on a petition asking that the agency follow a specific guideline.

Consumer advocacy groups petitioned agency to restrict additive initially approved for use in 1969.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday proposed requiring new nutrition labels on the front of food and beverage products, a long-awaited move aimed at changing eating habits associated with soaring rates of obesity and diet-related illness that are responsible for a million deaths each year.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new rule requiring bold, easy-to-read nutrition labels on the front of food and beverage packages. These labels, which would highlight content of sugar,

The labels will also include new information about the product's level of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, categorizing them as “low,” “medium,” or “high.”Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.