Cheetos & Doritos Get Dye-Free Makeover With New ‘Simply NKD’ Line

Key Takeaways

• PepsiCo is launching dye-free Cheetos and Doritos on Dec. 1

• The new “Simply NKD” snacks contain no artificial colors or flavors

• Original versions will still be on shelves alongside the new dye-free options

MONDAY, Nov. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Bright orange fingers may soon be less common for some snackers.

PepsiCo announced that it will begin selling new versions of Cheetos and Doritos that contain no artificial colors or flavors.

The line, called "Simply NKD," hits store shelves Dec. 1 and includes four products:

• Doritos Simply NKD Nacho Cheese

• Doritos Simply NKD Cool Ranch

• Cheetos Simply NKD Puffs

• Cheetos Simply NKD Flamin' Hot

The company said these snacks will offer the same taste people expect, just without synthetic dyes.

"We are reinventing our iconic — and most famous — brands to deliver options with the bold flavors fans know and love, now reimagined without any colors or artificial flavors," Hernán Tantardini, CMO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., told CBS News.

The change follows growing pressure from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has urged food companies to remove synthetic dyes from products sold in the United States.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asked manufacturers to stop using artificial dyes voluntarily, but it has not banned them just yet.

PepsiCo emphasized that NKD snacks aren’t replacing the classic versions.

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"NKD is an additive option, not a replacement, introduced to meet consumer demand," Rachel Ferdinando, CEO of PepsiCo Foods U.S., told CBS News.

Many existing versions of the chips contain dyes like Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40 and Blue 1, which give snacks their bright colors.

States such as West Virginia have already banned some of these dyes and other major companies such as Kraft Heinz, have also pledged to remove them.

Concerns around artificial dyes include their link to increased consumption of unhealthy food and possible behavioral changes in some children, such as hyperactivity, inattention or sleep problems.

But some experts say dyes are just one piece of the puzzle and far less harmful than other ingredients.

"The health risks really pale in comparison with the health risks of the added salt, sugar and fat in processed food," Dr. Céline Gounder, a medical contributor for CBS News and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said earlier this year.

More information

MD Anderson Cancer Center has more on natural and artificial food dyes.

SOURCE: CBS News, Nov. 14, 2025

What This Means For You

If you’re concerned about artificial dyes in snacks, these new dye-free Cheetos and Doritos offer a healthier alternative, with fewer additives.