In recent years, public and government opinions about food-color laws in the U.S. have undergone major shifts. The bright orange hue of a Dorito or glow of a Cheeto has begun to mean more than tasty flavor and finger-licking appeal, these snack staples have become symbols of a broader regulatory, health and marketing shift in the United States.
As federal agencies, state legislatures and major food companies reevaluate the synthetic dyes that have saturated the snack-food aisle for decades, brands like Doritos and Cheetos find themselves at the intersection of changing laws, consumer expectations and supply-chain transformation.
This is not just about a new shade of orange. It is about how the law, public health data, consumer transparency and the bottom line of snack-food giants are converging.
The Legal Framework: Food-Color Regulation in the United States
The regulation of food colors in the U.S. begins with the foundational Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) of 1938, which gives the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority over food additives and colorants in foods, drugs and cosmetics. In the decades since, the Food Additives Amendment of 1958 introduced the “Delaney Clause” which prohibits approval of any food additive found to cause cancer in humans or animals. As applied to color additives, the FDA maintains a Color Additive Status List and tightly regulates the certification of synthetic dyes, especially those derived from petroleum.
Over time major synthetic dyes, including FD&C Yellow 5 (Tartrazine), Yellow 6 (Sunset Yellow FCF), Red 40 (Allura Red AC), Blue 1 and others, became ubiquitous in snack foods, beverages, cereals and candies. They are approved for use, but only when used under specified conditions and certified batches. Meanwhile, research into behavioral effects, hyperactivity, allergies and possible cancer risks has spurred regulatory reviews, citizen petitions and state-level bans.
In January 2025 the FDA announced an official move to ban FD&C Red 3 (Erythrosine) in foods by January 15, 2027, citing cancer links in male lab rats and aligning with state laws such as California’s upcoming restrictions. Simultaneously the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced collaboration with major food-industry players to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes.
Collectively these federal and state actions signal a departing era, one where brightly dyed snacks could rely on artificially colored appeal with little scrutiny, and entering a new one where regulators, consumers and brands are demanding transparency and alternatives.
The Big Business Impact on Snack Brands
For global snack makers like PepsiCo — which owns both Doritos and Cheetos — the push to remove synthetic colors is both regulatory cost and brand opportunity. In October 2025 PepsiCo announced it would accelerate its shift to natural colors in the U.S. and identified that approximately 40 percent of its U.S. products still contain synthetic dyes.
Specifically, PepsiCo acknowledged that Doritos Nacho Cheese contains Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Red 40 while Cheetos still uses Yellow 6. In response the company said it plans to eliminate petroleum-based dyes from those snack brands — though acknowledging the transition may take years due to technical challenges in sourcing natural colors, maintaining shelf-life and preserving flavor profiles.
Analysts emphasize the complexity: Replacing synthetic dye isn’t simply swapping pigment. Snack makers must find natural color substitutes (vegetable and mineral based) that can sustain brightness, resist heat, maintain crisp textures and remain cost-effective at scale. This reformulation process requires rigorous testing for consumer acceptance, supply-chain reliability and manufacturing compatibility.
From a business perspective the reformulation drives a few major cost vectors:
- ingredient sourcing premium (natural colors often cost more)
- manufacturing change-over costs
- marketing cost to communicate the change to consumers
- risk of flavor or visual deviation which can impact brand loyalty
But there’s upside: Brands with clean-label credentials are increasingly attractive to consumers, especially younger demographics who equate fewer artificial ingredients with transparency and authenticity.
In short, for Doritos and Cheetos the shift in food-color laws and regulatory pressure is not optional, it’s fundamental to preserving future relevance and trust.
Regulatory Timing, Consumer Pressure and Health Research
The catalyst behind this regulatory wave includes mounting consumer pressure, emerging health research and state-level legislation. A recent review of 27 clinical trials found that about 64 percent of studies reported behavior issues linked to artificial dyes in children. While causality remains debated, the associations with hyperactivity, inflammation and oxidative stress have pushed public health advocates to press for reform.
Simultaneously state governments have begun adopting aggressive laws. For example, West Virginia has introduced legislation to ban dyes like Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1 and Blue 2 from school meals beginning August 1, 2028.
Retailers are also joining the push. In October 2025 Walmart announced plans to remove synthetic dyes from its private-label products by January 2027, affecting about 1,000 items including snack foods.
These overlapping pressures create a clear timeline: Major national brands need to transition reformulations before mid-to-late 2020s or face regulatory constraints, loss of shelf space, and consumer attrition.
What It Means for Doritos and Cheetos
When a brand like Doritos or Cheetos changes its color formula the impact resonates in multiple ways:
1. Visual branding and consumer expectation
The bright orange dust on a Cheeto or the intense red of a Doritos Cool Ranch are part of what those snacks are known for. Changing those colors risks altering the perceived identity of the product. PepsiCo acknowledges this concern: the reformulated version must retain “bold flavors fans know and love” even if the color comes from natural sources.
2. Ingredient marketing and transparency
Brands are now using the reformulation as a marketing tool: clean labels, natural ingredients, no artificial dyes. It’s a repositioning in a competitive snack market where clean-label credentials matter.
3. Price and availability
Natural color additives often cost more and may have supply constraints. That might lead to price adjustments or limited product variants initially as scaling occurs. PepsiCo has pointed out the transition will be gradual.
4. Regulatory compliance and future-proofing
By reformulating now, snack brands mitigate the risk of future regulatory bans or school-meal exclusions. For example, the phase-out of certain dyes by the FDA or states could otherwise force costly last-minute changes or removal from institutional channels.
5. Consumer education and perception
Even if the taste remains unchanged, changing a beloved snack’s look requires careful consumer messaging to maintain loyalty. Brands must communicate why the change is happening and assuage fears of a “worse” product.
In short, for Doritos and Cheetos the shift from synthetic dyes is a complex undertaking, but one with clear strategic value.
Broader Industry Implications and Competitive Landscape
PepsiCo is not alone. Major food companies have already committed to removing synthetic colors. For example, Nestlé USA announced in June 2025 it plans to eliminate all synthetic food colors from its U.S. portfolio by mid-2026.
These moves create a competitive shift: brands that transition earlier may capture consumer goodwill and healthier-label perception. Meanwhile, brands that resist could risk being perceived as outdated or unsafe.
Additionally, ingredient suppliers and color-additive manufacturers are gearing up for high demand in natural color alternatives. The entire value chain is evolving, from pigment sourcing (plant-based, mineral-based) to processing, packaging and shelf-life stability.
For snack brands it’s both challenge and opportunity: Reformulate well, communicate well, and the result is more than compliance, it is relevance in a changing consumer market.
What to Watch Next
Several developments will shape how this transition plays out:
- Federal actions: The FDA’s enforcement timeline for dye bans (such as Red 3) will set hard deadlines for the industry.
- State laws and school-meal channels: If states ban dyes in school-served foods or public institutions, that can cascade into standard retail product changes.
- Consumer reaction: Taste tests, loyalty shifts, price sensitivity — snack brands will need to monitor how reformulated versions are received.
- Ingredient innovation: Natural color breakthroughs that match current visuals at lower cost may accelerate broader adoption.
- Label transparency and marketing: How brands message the change will affect consumer trust and brand equity.
The bright-colored snack aisle may look different by the end of this decade. For brands like Doritos and Cheetos, the shift in food-color laws is much more than an ingredient change, it’s a pivotal turn in brand identity, regulatory alignment and consumer promise.
What started decades ago as a simple visual enhancement is now part of a nationwide regulatory and consumer-driven movement.
The “finger-staining orange dust” may still be there, but the pigment behind it will increasingly come from vegetables, minerals or plant-based sources rather than petroleum derivatives.
For snack lovers the taste may stay the same. For brands and regulators it signals the dawn of a new era: one where what goes into the food matters just as much as how it looks, and for a snack giant, that matters a lot.
If you’re still eating Doritos and Cheetos after the changes have taken effect, be sure to send RespectMyRegion.com your thoughts and reviews so we can share that in a story!
