Big news for snack lovers! PepsiCo, the parent company of the popular snack brand Doritos, has announced plans to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from its chips, signaling a major step toward cleaner labeling and potentially safer snacking. These artificial colorings—notably those derived from petroleum sources—have been discussed in relation to a range of health concerns, from hyperactivity in children to oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. While direct causation still remains under investigation, the move represents meaningful progress in the industry’s response to consumer demand and regulatory pressure.

The initiative from PepsiCo reflects rapidly changing expectations among today’s snack buyers. Driven by increasing consumer awareness regarding ingredients, diet-related health issues, and food-label transparency, the snack giant is switching to natural colour alternatives while maintaining the familiar bold flavors that fans of Doritos expect. According to a report by Food Dive, PepsiCo’s strategy includes offering lines of Cheetos and Doritos “without artificial colors or flavors,” and the company’s internal communications indicate an ambition for “all the portfolio into natural colors or at least provide the consumer with natural color options” in the coming years. 

In one recent announcement covered by CBS News, the company revealed that new “Simply NKD” versions of Doritos and Cheetos—free of artificial colours and flavors—would hit stores in December of 2025. The current core products will remain on shelves, so this is an additive offering rather than wholesale replacement.
Meanwhile, a report by People underscores that approximately 40% of PepsiCo’s U.S. products still contain synthetic dyes, and the transition will occur over a span of years, not overnight.

What’s driving the shift? Part of the impetus comes from mounting regulatory and advocacy pressure. In March 2025, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, urged major food companies—like PepsiCo—to remove artificial dyes, describing them in strong terms and signaling a federal intent to phase out certain petroleum-based colorants.

For snack-consumers, this change offers a positive signal: your favourite chips may become somewhat lighter in color or subtly reformulated, but still keep the flavor you enjoy. The company insists that taste will remain the same, while ingredient transparency and cleaner labels will improve. In essence, the reformulation marks a shift not just in ingredients but in mindset—from managing additive concerns to proactively offering cleaner snacking options.

However, it’s important to keep expectations realistic. While the removal of synthetic dyes is a meaningful gesture, it does not mean all health risks from processed snacks are eliminated. As noted by food-industry analysts, artificial dyes are only one dimension among many (such as salt, fat, sugar, ultra-processing) that influence health outcomes. The original versions of the chips will still be available, and the company acknowledges that full portfolio transition will require time—testing new natural dyes, ensuring flavor retention, and getting regulatory approvals.

In summary, PepsiCo’s announcement marks a noteworthy step in the food-industry’s broader transformation toward healthier-perceived ingredients. The move to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes from Doritos is both a response to consumer demand and a proactive shift in formulation strategy. While the original chips aren’t disappearing just yet, snack lovers can expect more natural-color options soon — and the broader industry trend suggests that what we consider “cleaner” ingredients may become the norm rather than the exception.