Lays, Tostitos to stop using artificial dyes this year to meet RFK Jr.'s phase-out

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: USA Today

April 28, 2025, 10:44 p.m. ET


Popular snack brands like Lays and Tostitos will stop using artificial colors by the end of the year, a move to accommodate Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new phase-out of petroleum-based synthetic dyes.

At an April 24 earnings call, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said the transition is already underway and that more of the company's brands will follow suit, with more than 60 percent of its business already lacking artificial color as of this month.

Laguarta also said PepsiCo with (sic) lead an anticipated consumer demand for more natural ingredients as it has with sodium and sugar reduction, and better fats. "We obviously stand by the science and our products are very safe and there's nothing to worry about this," Laguarta told investors. "Ideally, we can do this in a very pragmatic, orchestrated way as an industry and not create unnecessary panic or chaos. But, we'll lead that transition."

In the next couple of years, PepsiCo's entire portfolio, which includes Doritos and Cheetos, will have migrated into natural colors or the company will at least provide the consumers with natural color options, he added. "And obviously every consumer will have the opportunity to choose what they prefer," he said. "That's the journey we're undergoing."

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2025/04/28/lays-tostitos-pepsico-artificial-dyes/83335883007/

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The reds, pinks, oranges, and yellows will be fairly easy (e.g., cochineal/carmine, annatto, turmeric). The blues will be trickier (probably anthocyanin-based - e.g., from a number of berries, specialty grains, and some root crops). The other colors are usually combos (although there are probably more natural greens).


(from here - https://www.californianaturalcolor.com/why-natural-colors/anthocyanins/)

Good companion article - How bugs and beet juice could play roles in the race to replace artificial dyes in food

[Hotler]

1. Cheetos will now be blond in color and packaging will be in English only. nt

[Javaman]

2. like a good aryan snack food should be.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. They actually sell "White Cheddar Cheetos"

(I actually buy these )

[Hotler]

4. Those look tasty. hmmmmm. Two slices of white bread, slap on some mayo, throw on a handful of those and...

name it the Hegseth or Miller special.

I'll have to look for those in chrunchy.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Don't forget to make sure the bread is

As "classic white" as one can get!

ETA - they do have those "White Cheddar" Cheetos in crunchy -

[KarenS]

8. These are the ones I like/eat,,,

Yum

[Hotler]

12. I've made green chili bowls with the orange ones. nt

[Hotler]

11. Perfect! I think you named it. The Classic White. nt

[LisaM]

6. Fine with me, but...

if they use bugs to color food, I hope they intend to label it as not being vegetarian or vegan.

I agree with the food labelling and rules they have in the EU. I'd actually be very surprised if this all really goes through, though. It's generally Republicans who don't care about food safety.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. There are already pretty robust labeling rules out there from FDA

The extract of the cochineal is called "Carmine" and anything that you see labeled as "Carmine" is that colorant.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=3374101

I have had earlier posts that had examples of products that contain it -


Alternately, beets have been used to get that reddish pink, although Carmine provides the widest range and has been used as a natural dye for generations.

[IcyPeas]

19. Aside from carmine there is also the lac bug secretions (shellac)

(This isnt exactly the topic but talking about carmine also always brings this to mind)

It's used to form a shiny coating on some candies and is a kind of resin secreted from the bug.

It's used on some jelly beans, junior mints, Boston baked beans,candy corn, whoppers, etc.

If you read the ingredients and see "confectioners glaze" or "natural glaze" or "candy coating" it's from the lac bug.

There is a vegan alternative but I don't know how many candy makers use it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resinous_glaze

[twodogsbarking]

7. Finally I am getting rewarded for being color blind.

So, what color does it look like to you?

[kimbutgar]

10. Two items I never eat!

[twodogsbarking]

13. How will Trump get his tan?

[wolfie001]

14. I wonder what the final iteration of this product will be

I haven't bought a bag of Cheetos in over 3 years, but I may have to get one just to see the difference. I'll wait about 6 months. If we still have a country and I'm not in a Gulag.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. They can color that with annatto

I make a batch of achiote oil with annatto seeds slowly heated in some canola oil. The longer it steeps, the darker it gets. That is what I use when I make arroz con gandules, where it gives the rice a reddish color.

I saw this site that shows some extracts of it - https://foodrgb.com/annatto-natural-food-color

[wolfie001]

16. Thanks! That is so cool

[BumRushDaShow]

17. I even keep my achiote (annatto) oil in a container that looks exactly like this -

(I keep it in the fridge so it lasts longer )

I buy Penzey's everything so my annatto seeds are from there!

[wolfie001]

18. Great photo! I will look into

Caio my friend!