Month: October 2023

Enlarge / The famous Easter candy Peeps, made by Just Born Quality Confections, are displayed on April 7, 2023 in New York, US. Consumer Reports announced in a recent press release that it had contacted Just Born Quality Confections earlier this year about concerns over the company's use of red dye No. 3 in the Peeps candies, which has been found to cause cancer in animals. (credit: Getty | Fatih Aktas)

Last weekend, California outlawed a common red food dye that is otherwise deemed safe by the Food and Drug Administration—the first such ban in the country and one that puzzlingly comes over three decades after the FDA determined the dye causes cancer in rats and banned it from lipsticks and other cosmetics, but not foods.

The dye is FD&C Red No. 3, also known as red dye No. 3. Today, it is found in thousands of food products—from Brach's Candy Corn and varieties of Nerds, Peeps, Pez, candy canes, Fruit by the Foot, to Entenmann's Little Bites Mini Muffins, Betty Crocker mashed potatoes, fruit cocktail,  PediaSure nutritional shakes, and MorningStar Farm's veggie bacon strips.

But, back in 1990, the FDA carefully reviewed decades' worth of animal studies on red dye No. 3 and determined that "FD&C Red No. 3 has been shown to induce cancer in appropriate tests," and is therefore "unsafe for use in externally applied drugs and externally applied cosmetics and cannot be listed." Even though the risk appeared small, the agency's decision hinged on the Delaney Clause of 1958, which requires the FDA to ban any food additive that is shown to induce cancer in humans or animals.

Enlarge / The case for AirPods Pro. (credit: Jeff Dunn)

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days are coming to a close, but there's still time to grab something before the oddly named sale ends. As we look toward wrapping things up, we're sharing some of the products that have been most popular with Ars Technica readers these past couple of days, both on Amazon and elsewhere. From obvious picks like the AirPods Pro to unexpected ones like a hydroponic garden kit and a DeWalt circular saw, here are some of the cool, weird, and wonderful things Ars readers bought during Amazon's big October sales event.

• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen/USB-C) Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancelling for $189 (was $249) at Amazon
• Apple iPad (9th Generation) for $249 (was $329) at Amazon
• Bose QuietComfort 45 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones for $229 (was $329) at Amazon
• Anker USB C Docking Station, PowerExpand 9-in-1 PD Dock for $80 (was $150) at Amazon
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge - Nintendo Switch for $23 (was $35) at Amazon
• AeroGarden Harvest with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit - Hydroponic Indoor Garden for $50 (was $165) at Amazon
• PNY 512GB Turbo Attaché 3 USB 3.2 Flash Drive for $26 (was $38) at Amazon
• Catan (Base Game) Adventure Board Game for Adults and Family for $27 (was $49) at Amazon
• Vitamix 5200 Blender, Professional-Grade for $300 (was $550) at Amazon
• Govee RGBIC Floor Lamp, LED Corner Lamp for $60 (was $100) at Amazon
• Cuphead - Nintendo Switch for $25 (was $40) at Amazon
• DeWalt 20 V MAX* Circular Saw, 6-1/2-Inch, Cordless, Tool Only for $137 (was $219) at Amazon
• Logitech MX Keys Advanced Wireless Illuminated Keyboard for $89 (was $120) at Amazon
• Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Overhead Headphones for $248 (was $348) at Amazon
• Wireless Switch Controller for Nintendo Switch/Lite/OLED Controller for $24 (was $27) at Amazon
• Office Chair, Ergonomic Desk Chair with Adjustable Lumbar Support for $100 (was $190) at Amazon
• Dyson V12 Detect Slim Absolute vacuum for $440 (was $640) at Dyson
• iRobot Roomba j6+ (6550) Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum for $605 (was $800) at Amazon
• DeWalt Powerstack 20 V MAX Battery, Rechargeable, 5Ah, Lithium Ion, 2-Pack for $250 (was $349) at Amazon
• LG UltraWide QHD 34-inch Curved Computer Monitor 34WQ73A-B for $330 (was $470) at Amazon
• Crest 3D White Glamorous White Whitestrips - 28 Strips for $39 (was $44) at Amazon
• Beats Solo 3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones for $100 (was $200) at Amazon
• Apple AirTag 4 Pack for $89 (was $99) at Amazon
• Apple MacBook Air 13.3-inch Laptop M1 for $750 (was $999) at Amazon
• Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus for $800 (was $1,000) at Amazon

For more shopping ideas, deals, and savings, be sure to check out our buying guides for last-minute inspiration if you're looking to load up your Amazon shopping cart in the final hours of the Prime Big Deal Days sale:

• Three fantastic TVs you should consider buying during Prime Big Deal Days
• Big Deal Days tech deals that don’t require a Prime membership
• Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale on DeWalt power tools, EDC gear, and more
• The best laptop deals aren’t on Amazon. Here’s where to shop during Prime Big Deal Days
• Upgrade your home office with an ergonomic chair from Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sales
• The best headphones on sale for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days
• The best Amazon Prime Big Deal Days savings on Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox games
• The best Apple deals on Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, all in one place
• Top deals on home and kitchen gear for Amazon Prime Day
• Dealmaster: Top Amazon Prime Big Deal Days savings on Legos, Star Wars, and games
• Build your dream desktop with these Prime Day PC components deals
• 25 of the most popular Amazon Prime Day deals with Ars Technica readers