(NewsNation) — PepsiCo is rolling out new versions of its iconic orange snacks made “with no artificial flavors or dyes, and completely colorless.”
The company announced Thursday that Doritos and Cheetos Simply NKD will hit store shelves on Dec. 1.
The launch is part of PepsiCo’s broader push to transition to natural colors across its food and beverage line, a shift it accelerated in April. Currently, about 40% of its U.S. products still use synthetic dyes, according to the company.
Are the Simply NDK snacks healthier?
The Simply NKD versions are supposed to taste like the originals, but are free of petroleum-based food dyes and artificial flavors and 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.
Despite being dye-free, the new chips won’t be colorless. They’ll take on a lighter color, like a tortilla chip.
“The result? Same crunch. Same flavor. Same joy — just without added color,” PepsiCo said, adding that the reformulation happened in just eight weeks.
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.
“We’re turning expectations upside down — removing artificial colors, not the flavor — and proving that unforgettable taste can be colorless,” Rachel Ferdinando, the CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., said in a statement.
The new lineup will include flavors such as Cool Ranch Doritos and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and will be priced the same as the standard versions. The original Doritos and Cheetos will remain available.
Why remove artificial dyes from snacks?
A growing body of research shows that synthetic dyes are used in nearly 1 in 5 packaged foods and beverages in the U.S., with particularly high levels in products marketed to children.
Some research has linked the dyes to behavioral health issues in children. Places like Australia, Canada and the European Union generally have tighter restrictions on their use.
Products containing synthetic dyes also tend to have much higher sugar content, about 141% more on average, than items without dyes, according to one study.
The FDA announced in January the dye known as Red No. 3 — used in candies, cakes and some medications — would be banned in food by 2027 because it was shown to cause cancer in lab rats.
Brands pledge to ditch synthetic dyes
Federal regulators and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have urged companies to move away from synthetic dyes by next year.
The Environmental Working Group reports nearly 30 states have passed laws or consideration bills this year to restrict artificial dyes and other additives commonly found in packaged foods.
Texas will require warning labels on foods with artificial dyes starting in 2027.
Earlier this month, Kraft Heinz announced it would be removing all artificial dyes from its U.S. products by the end of 2027. General Mills plans to remove synthetic dyes from all its U.S. cereals and foods served in K-12 schools by the summer of 2026 and aims to eliminate the dyes from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
Both companies said the majority of their U.S. products are already made without synthetic colors.
NewsNation’s Andrew Dorn and the Associated Press contributed to this report.