No more Cheeto fingers? PepsiCo introduces dye-free option
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- PepsiCo Foods has released a new product aimed at fans of its iconic snack who may want less mess and fewer artificial ingredients. The company’s new Cheetos Simply NKD removed the familiar red dye while keeping the signature Flamin’ Hot flavor.
At first glance, the chips look noticeably different. Pale in color and lacking the trademark red dust, they don’t resemble the classic Flamin’ Hot Cheetos many consumers recognize, but PepsiCo says the flavor remains the same.
To test that claim, ABC-7 put 11 staff members to the test in a blind taste test, comparing traditional Flamin’ Hot Cheetos with the new dye-free version.
Out of the 11 participants, four correctly identified the traditional Cheetos. Four chose the wrong option, and others couldn't decide.
“I’d say this one has the dye,” Andrew Polksaid.
Sarah Coria hesitated, saying, “These don’t taste as good, these taste better, but that makes me think these are the fake ones.” self-described “Hot Cheetos connoisseur” ultimately admitted enjoying both.
Experts say growing interest in dye-free foods comes amid broader conversations about health. Some health professionals point to increases in conditions such as ADHD, aggressive behavior and gastrointestinal diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.
“We’re certainly seeing an increase in the incidence of these diseases,” one expert said.
Some pediatricians believe artificial red dye may play a role, particularly given how early children are exposed to brightly colored snack foods.
“You look at young people’s foods Cheetos are everywhere,” Dr. Vinay Patel, gastroenterologist with UMC said. “They’re delicious. We all eat them. But for younger generations, they start eating these foods very early in life.”
Despite the change in appearance, taste testers were surprised when the blindfolds came off.
PepsiCo says the new Simply Naked Cheetos are not meant to replace the original product. Instead, they are being offered as an additional option, joining other snacks in the company’s lineup that have recently received updated looks or ingredient changes.
