Maraschino cherries are a common garnish that often sparks debate about food safety. These cherries begin as light-colored varieties, such as Royal Ann or Rainier, which are first preserved in a brine solution containing sulfur dioxide to strip their natural color and flavor. They are then steeped in a sweet syrup, artificial flavorings, and a synthetic red food dye to achieve their signature neon hue. The finished product is chemically distinct from the fresh fruit, leading many consumers to question whether these additives pose long-term health risks, particularly the risk of cancer.
Key Ingredients That Raise Safety Questions
Public concern regarding maraschino cherries stems from two types of additives: artificial coloring agents and preservatives. The bright red color is provided by FD&C Red No. 40 (Allura Red AC), a synthetic dye derived from petroleum that has been controversial due to trace contaminants and historical animal studies. The preservation process involves agents like sulfur dioxide or sodium benzoate. Sulfur dioxide is a sulfite that can trigger allergic reactions in a small fraction of the population, while sodium benzoate can form trace amounts of benzene, a known carcinogen, when interacting with vitamin C in acidic foods. These synthetic chemicals drastically alter the natural product, eliminating the cherries’ natural antioxidants and leaving behind a highly processed food.
Scientific Assessment of Cancer Risk
The core question of whether maraschino cherries cause cancer focuses on the toxicology of Red No. 40. The dye is not officially classified as a carcinogen by major international health organizations. However, the controversy persists because Red No. 40 is known to contain trace amounts of contaminants, which are established or suspected carcinogens.
Some animal studies suggest that Red No. 40 may cause DNA damage and low-grade inflammation in the colon of mice, though these studies often involve high doses significantly higher than what a human would consume through normal dietary intake.
The consensus among regulatory bodies is that the minute exposure from occasional consumption does not represent a measurable cancer risk. The current evidence does not support the conclusion that eating a maraschino cherry will cause cancer in humans, as the potential issue is related to the contaminants and the dye itself only at consumption levels far exceeding typical garnish use.
Regulatory Oversight and Consumer Context
In the United States, the use of FD&C Red No. 40 in maraschino cherries is permitted under the oversight of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has established an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) level, which is the maximum amount of an additive considered safe for a person to consume every day over a lifetime. Red No. 40 is one of the most widely approved synthetic food dyes in the American food supply.
The practical context of consumption significantly mitigates the theoretical risks associated with the ingredients. Maraschino cherries are typically consumed as a garnish—one or two cherries on a dessert or in a drink—meaning the total daily exposure to the dye and preservatives is extremely low. The trace amounts of contaminants in Red No. 40 are therefore consumed at levels well below those that would be considered a concern by regulators.
The concern over processed ingredients, including the high sugar content from the syrup, is often a matter of overall diet rather than acute toxicity from one cherry. Consumers worried about synthetic dyes can choose varieties labeled “natural,” which use ingredients like beet juice for coloring, though these still contain high levels of added sugar. For the average person, the occasional maraschino cherry consumption poses no established or significant cancer risk under current regulatory standards.