Those New Doritos, Cheetos Are a Lot Less Orange

Doritos and Cheetos are getting a makeover. PepsiCo said on Thursday it's launching toned-down versions of its bright orange snacks that won't have any artificial colors or flavors. Doritos and Cheetos Simply NKD will hit store shelves on Dec. 1, reports the AP. It's part of a broader shift underway at PepsiCo, which announced in April it would accelerate a planned transition to using natural colors in its foods and beverages. Around 40% of its US products now contain synthetic dyes, according to the company. Dye-free doesn't mean Doritos and Cheetos Simply NKD will be colorless, though—instead, they're just a lighter color, like a tortilla chip.

Many other major food companies, including Kraft Heinz and General Mills, have made similar pledges. They're feeling pressure from federal regulators and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who are urging companies to eliminate synthetic food dyes by next year. States have also been taking action. Texas recently passed a law requiring warning labels for foods that contain artificial ingredients. Other states are moving to ban or restrict synthetic dyes.

PepsiCo has sold Simply brand Doritos and Cheetos without artificial dyes since 2002. But those products aren't designed to taste like the original chips, while the Simply NKD versions are supposed to taste like the originals. Unlike the originals, however, they don't contain petroleum-based dyes. They also have shorter ingredient lists. For example, Simply NKD Doritos and Simply NKD Cheetos don't contain the flavor-enhancing additives disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate, which are found in the original versions.

story continues below

"We're turning expectations upside down—removing artificial colors, not the flavor—and proving that unforgettable taste can be colorless," says Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods US, in a statement. PepsiCo says the Simply NKD line will include flavors like Cool Ranch Doritos and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. The chips will cost the same as the original varieties, and the company says original Doritos and Cheetos will remain on the market.