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.<\/p>\n
But just as it took decades for artificial colors to seep into PepsiCo\u2019s products, removing them is likely to be a multi-year process. The company said it\u2019s still finding new ingredients, testing consumers\u2019 responses and waiting for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve natural alternatives. PepsiCo hasn\u2019t committed to meeting the Trump administration\u2019s goal of phasing out petroleum-based synthetic dyes by the end of 2026.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re not going to launch a product that the consumer\u2019s not going to enjoy,\u201d said Chris Coleman, PepsiCo\u2019s senior director for food research and development in North America. \u201cWe need to make sure the product is right.\u201d
\nColeman said it can take two or three years to shift a product from an artificial color to a natural one. PepsiCo has to identify a natural ingredient that will have a stable shelf life and not change a product\u2019s flavor. Then it must ensure the availability of a safe and adequate supply. The company tests prototypes with trained experts and panels of consumers, then makes sure the new formula won\u2019t snag its manufacturing process. It also has to design new packaging.
\n<\/p>\n
Tostitos and Lay\u2019s will be the first PepsiCo brands to make the shift, with naturally dyed tortilla and potato chips expected on store shelves later this year and naturally dyed dips due to be on sale early next year. Most of the chips, dips and salsas in the two lines already are naturally colored, but there were some exceptions.
\nThe reddish-brown tint of Tostitos Salsa Verde, for example, came from four synthetic colors: Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40 and Blue 1. Coleman said the company is switching to carob powder, which gives the chips a similar color, but needed to tweak the recipe to ensure the addition of the cocoa alternative wouldn\u2019t affect the taste.
\nIn its Frito-Lay food labs and test kitchens in Plano, Texas, PepsiCo is experimenting with ingredients like paprika and turmeric to mimic the bright reds and oranges in products like Flamin\u2019 Hot Cheetos, Coleman said.
\nThe company is looking at purple sweet potatoes and various types of carrots to color drinks like Mountain Dew and Cherry 7Up, according to Damien Browne, the vice president of research and development for PepsiCo\u2019s beverage division based in Valhalla, New York.
\nGetting the hue right is critical, since many consumers know products like Gatorade by their color and not necessarily their name, Browne said.
\n\u201cWe eat with our eyes,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you look at a plate of food, it\u2019s generally the different kinds of colors that will tell you what you would like or not.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the Pepsi-Cola Company was founded in 1902, the absence of artificial dyes was a point of pride. The company marketed Pepsi as \u201cThe Original Pure Food Drink\u201d to differentiate the cola from rivals that used lead, arsenic and other toxins as food colorants before the U.S. banned them in 1906.
\nBut synthetic dyes eventually won over food companies. They were vibrant, consistent and cheaper than natural colors. They are also rigorously tested by the FDA.
\nStill, PepsiCo said it started seeing a small segment of shoppers asking for products without artificial colors or flavors more than two decades ago. In 2002, it launched its Simply line of chips, which offer natural versions of products like Doritos. A dye-free organic Gatorade came out in 2016.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re looking for those little signals that will become humongous in the future,\u201d Amanda Grzeda, PepsiCo\u2019s senior director of global sensory and consumer experience, said of the company’s close attention to consumer preferences.
\nGrzeda said the whisper PepsiCo detected in the early 2000s has become a roar, fueled by social media and growing consumer interest in ingredients. More than half of the consumers PepsiCo spoke to for a recent internal study said they were trying to reduce their consumption of artificial dyes, Grzeda said. <\/p>\n
Some states, including West Virginia and Arizona, have banned artificial dyes in school lunches. But Browne said he thinks consumers are driving the push to overhaul processed foods.
\n\u201cConsumers are definitely leading, and I think what we need to do is have the regulators catching up, allowing us to approve new natural ingredients to be able to meet their demand,\u201d he said.
\nThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said it’s expediting approval of natural additives after calling on companies to halt their use of synthetic dyes. In May, the FDA approved three new natural color additives, including a blue color derived from algae. In July, the agency approved gardenia blue, which is derived from a flowering evergreen.
\nThe FDA banned one petroleum-based dye, Red 3, in January because it was shown to cause cancer in lab rats. And in September, the agency proposed a ban on Orange B, a synthetic color that hasn’t been used in decades.
\nSix synthetic dyes remain FDA-approved and widely used, despite mixed studies that show they may cause neurobehavioral problems in some children. Red 40, for example, is used in 25,965 food and beverage items on U.S. store shelves, according to the market research firm NIQ.
\nBut even if decades of research has shown that synthetic colors are safe, PepsiCo has to weigh public perceptions, Grzeda said.
\n\u201cWe could just blindly follow the science, but it probably would put us at odds with what our consumers believe and perceive in the world,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
PepsiCo also has to balance the needs of consumers who don\u2019t want their favorite snacks and drinks to change or get more expensive because of the costs of natural dyes. NIQ data shows that unit sales of products advertised as free of artificial colors fell sharply in 2023 as prices rose.
\nSusan Mazur-Stommen, a small business owner in Hinton, West Virginia, picked up some Simply brand Cheetos Puffs recently at a convenience store because they were the only variety available. She found the texture to be much different from regular Cheetos Puffs, she said, and their pallid color made them less appetizing.
\nMazur-Stommen said she agrees with the move away from petroleum-based dyes, but it\u2019s not a critical issue for her.
\n\u201cWhat I am looking for is the original formulation,\u201d she said.
\nUltimately, PepsiCo does not want customers to have to choose between natural colors and familiar flavors and textures, Grzeda said.
\n\u201cThat’s where it requires the deep science and ingredients and magic,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
PepsiCo’s shift to natural dyes is a significant step towards meeting consumer demands for healthier and more sustainable products. While the process may be challenging and time-consuming, the company is committed to ensuring that its products remain vibrant and colorful without compromising on taste and texture. As the FDA continues to approve new natural color additives, PepsiCo is well-positioned to lead the industry in this area.<\/p>\n
Q: What is PepsiCo’s goal for removing artificial dyes from its products?
\nA: PepsiCo aims to remove artificial dyes from its products, but it has not committed to a specific timeline.
\nQ: Which PepsiCo brands will be the first to make the shift to natural colors?
\nA: Tostitos and Lay\u2019s will be the first PepsiCo brands to make the shift, with naturally dyed tortilla and potato chips expected on store shelves later this year.
\nQ: What natural ingredients is PepsiCo using to color its products?
\nA: PepsiCo is experimenting with ingredients like paprika, turmeric, purple sweet potatoes, and carrots to color its products.
\nQ: How does the FDA approve new natural color additives?
\nA: The FDA approves new natural color additives through a rigorous testing process to ensure their safety and efficacy.
\nQ: What is the current status of synthetic dyes in the US?
\nA: Six synthetic dyes remain FDA-approved and widely used, despite mixed studies that show they may cause neurobehavioral problems in some children.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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