Hot dog company swaps banned red dye for coloring made from insects

An iconic hot dog with a red frankfurter is doing away with its usual dye and will instead use an extract made from crushed insects. Bean, a hot dog company based in Bangor, Maine, is famed for producing a fiery red frankfurter known locally as a “red snapper”. Historically, it is made with Red Dye 3. However, after the FDA warned food and drink manufacturers that they would have to discontinue the use of Red Dye 3 by January 15, 2027, the company has looked for alternatives.