Doritos and Cheetos are getting a makeover.
PepsiCo said 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.
It’s part of a broader shift underway at PepsiCo, which announced in April that it would accelerate a planned transition to using natural colors in its foods and beverages. Around 40% of its U.S. products now contain synthetic dyes, according to the company.
Dye-free doesn’t mean Doritos and Cheetos Simply NKD will be colorless. Instead, they’re just a lighter color, like a tortilla chip.
Many other big food companies, including Kraft Heinz and General Mills, have made similar pledges. They're feeling pressure from federal regulators and U.S. 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.
The Simply NKD versions are supposed to taste like the originals. But unlike the originals, 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.
“We’re turning expectations upside down — removing artificial colors, not the flavor — and proving that unforgettable taste can be colorless,” said Rachel Ferdinando, the CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., in a statement.
PepsiCo said the Simply NKD line will include flavors like Cool Ranch Doritos and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. The chips will cost the same as original varieties.
The company said original Doritos and Cheetos will also remain on the market.
LATEST POSTS
- 1
AstraZeneca to invest $2 billion as part of US manufacturing push - 2German politician urges more face-to-face interaction in digital age
- 3Norovirus is spreading earlier again this year, wastewater data shows
- 4WHO suspends medical evacuations from Gaza following death of contractor in 'security incident'
- 52024 Manual for Light Extravagance Room Feel: What's Moving
- Artemis II crew cleared to depart Earth orbit, head for moon
- Figure out How to Augment Your Rooftop Substitution Speculation
- 6 Agreeable Earphones To Wear
- Saucony's $125 'Comfy, Stylish' Sneakers Are Now $55
- Exclusive-Drugmakers raise US prices on 350 medicines despite pressure from Trump
- Figure out how to Consolidate a Brain science Certificate with Social Work
- Iran steps up executions as experts warn state killing being used to suppress political dissent
- 7 Delightful Ferris Wheels, Do You Like Them?
- This is Countdown, CNN’s newsletter covering NASA’s first time sending humans to deep space in over 50 years
