Starting 1 December, snack fans in the United States will see a change in some of their favourite crisps. PepsiCo is releasing new versions of Doritos and Cheetos called “Simply NKD”, which look less bright but still taste the same. These new snacks do not use artificial colours or flavours.
The colour change is part of PepsiCo’s larger plan to make its foods more natural. At the moment, about 40% of their American products still have synthetic dyes, but the company wants to reduce that number. Other food giants like Kraft Heinz and General Mills are making similar changes.
The new Simply NKD snacks will still have colour, just not the glowing orange that Doritos and Cheetos are known for. Instead, they will look more like regular tortilla chips. PepsiCo says these crisps will taste just like the original ones, but they will be made without petroleum-based dyes or certain additives like disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate.
There has been growing pressure in the US to stop using artificial dyes. Some states, like Texas, have passed laws that require warning labels on foods with synthetic ingredients. Others are thinking about banning them altogether. US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. has also encouraged food companies to stop using these dyes by next year.
PepsiCo has sold “Simply” brand snacks without artificial colours since 2002, but those didn’t taste the same as the originals. The new Simply NKD versions aim to change that. Flavours like Cool Ranch Doritos and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos will be part of the new line, and they’ll cost the same as the classic versions.
