PepsiCo's Cheetos, Gatorade, and more will be going dye-free, but it's going to take a while

"Pepsi has a new challenge: keeping products like Gatorade and Cheetos vivid and colorful without the artificial dyes that U.S. consumers are increasingly rejecting.PepsiCo, which also makes Doritos, Cap'n Crunch cereal, Funyuns and Mountain Dew, announced in April that it would accelerate a planned shift to using natural colors in its foods and beverages. Around 40% of its U.S. products now contain synthetic dyes, according to the company."

"But just as it took decades for artificial colors to seep into PepsiCo's products, removing them is likely to be a multi-year process. The company said it's still finding new ingredients, testing consumers' responses and waiting for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve natural alternatives. PepsiCo hasn't committed to meeting the Trump administration's goal of phasing out petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of 2026."

PepsiCo plans to accelerate a shift from synthetic dyes to natural colors across its U.S. foods and beverages, with around 40% of U.S. products currently containing synthetic dyes. The transition is expected to span multiple years because natural ingredients must deliver stable shelf life, avoid changing flavor, and be available in safe, adequate supply. PepsiCo tests prototypes with trained experts and consumer panels and verifies that new formulas will not disrupt manufacturing or packaging. The company is awaiting FDA approvals for some alternatives and has not committed to fully phasing out petroleum-based dyes by the end of 2026. Tostitos and Lay's will introduce naturally colored chips this year, with naturally dyed dips due early next year.

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