PLANO, Texas — It’s not easy swapping out artificial dyes to make Doritos and Cheetos with colorful vegetables and spices. But that’s the challenge PepsiCo has taken on at its global headquarters for food research and development as it reworks the recipes for beloved snacks like Nacho Cheese Doritos, Cheetos Puffs and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
Instead of Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6, the snacks will be colored with a mix of beets, radishes, paprika, annatto and turmeric.
“They come with their own flavor, right, just like a vegetable would, and we’re blending them into those seasonings,” said Denise Lefebvre, senior vice president of global foods research and development at PepsiCo. “So you really have to manage those flavors together.”
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and