For decades, artificial food dyes have made snack foods pop with eye-catching reds, electric blues, and vivid yellows — but at what cost? Concerns over synthetic dyes, from potential health risks to consumer demand for more natural ingredients, have major food companies rethinking their formulas.
Now, PepsiCo is joining the shift with its new Simply Ruffles Hot & Spicy, reported Bloomberg. The chips bring the heat without the signature bright red dust of Flamin' Hot snacks. Instead of using artificial colors like Red No. 40, they get their spice-speckled look from real ingredients like tomato powder and red chile pepper.
This launch is part of a bigger shift at PepsiCo to phase out synthetic dyes across its snack lineup.
"You could make it redder if you wanted to," said Ian Puddephat, PepsiCo's vice president of research and development for food ingredients, according to Bloomberg. But the company decided against it, betting that a lighter color signals to consumers that the chip isn't just spicy — it's made with real ingredients, too.
The Simply brand, which has been around since 2013, is now getting more attention as PepsiCo leans into utilizing natural ingredients. CEO Ramon Laguarta recently called it a key part of the company's push to meet changing consumer expectations. "There's a higher level of awareness in general of American consumers toward health and wellness," Laguarta said.
Food companies across the industry are under increasing pressure to eliminate artificial dyes, especially as regulators crack down. The Food and Drug Administration recently banned Red No. 3 for food products, effective January 2027, and health advocates continue pushing for broader changes. Critics argue that artificial dyes contribute nothing to taste or nutrition while potentially posing health risks.
PepsiCo is working to remove them from eight additional brands over the next year, though Puddephat acknowledges it's a challenge. "It's really, really hard to reformulate existing products. Consumers are very good at noticing very small changes," he said.
Despite the difficulty, some companies have successfully swapped out artificial dyes without backlash.
Kraft Heinz quietly removed them from its mac and cheese years ago, and Conagra Brands Inc., which owns Slim Jim, says that 92% of its products are now synthetic-dye free, according to Bloomberg.
Dye manufacturers are also adapting to the growing demand for natural alternatives. "Certainly in the last few months, the slope has accelerated significantly," said Paul Manning, CEO of Sensient Technologies, a major supplier of both synthetic and natural food colors.
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The way it looks 😍 This shift gives consumers more natural choices without losing out on flavor while also cutting back on synthetic additives. By making the switch, companies are responding to the demand for cleaner labels and more transparency — proving that snack foods can be both bold and better for you.
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